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UK Casinos and Bingo Halls Resume Operations After Months of Blackout
By Jeff Osienya May 18, 2021 IndustryLand-based casinos and bingo halls in the UK finally get back to the game after the region’s Prime Minister announced a new phase of COVID-19 reopening. The PM is optimistic that the region will fully reopen by the end of June.Last week on Monday, Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, announced that England was launching its third phase of reopening to start embracing post-pandemic normalcy. The eased restrictions officially started yesterday, on May 17th, to permit in-door hospitality venues like casinos and bingo halls plus cafes, bars, and restaurants to begin taking in patrons. This marks the first time since January 2021 that the said venues have been allowed to welcome customers in their spaces owing to COVID-19 mitigation measures.
Following Boris Johnson’s statement, Nicola Ferguson, Scotland’s First Minister, and Mark Drakeford, the First Minister of Wales, also announced similar reopening measures for their jurisdictions. According to the Prime Minister’s announcement last Monday (May 10th), England continues to be on track for the fourth and final phase of reopening by June 21st. If things proceed as planned, all the initially introduced COVID-19 restrictions will entirely be lifted across the country.
England’s second phase of reopening was set in motion last month when betting shops in England and Wales were permitted to get back to business on April 12th. Scotland’s government followed suit two weeks later and allowed betting shops in the region to resume operations on April 26th.
Betting shops, casinos, and bingo halls in England, Scotland, and Wales had been shut down since the January 4th national lockdown. The January shutdowns were re-introduced barely a month after the region had partially started reopening land-based gaming facilities on December 2nd last year.
Strict Health and Safety Precautions Still in Play for Casino and Bingo Venues
Thanks to the relaxation of the Coronavirus pandemic restrictions, over 100 brick-and-mortar casinos and bingo venues across England, Scotland and Wells will start serving customers again since January. Heck, for many of the gaming venues, this will be the first time that the businesses will be operating this year. Additionally, some of the restrictions that were introduced last month have also been eased. For example, the ban on airing live sports events on TV has been lifted.
All patrons yearning to play in the land-based casino and bingo venues will have to abide by specific health and safety measures to keep the novel virus at bay. For starters, social distancing rules should be observed, and hand sanitizers along with face masks are a must.
For casino floors, the spaces between slot machine cabinets have been increased, whereas the number of players sitting on a table game together has been capped. Likewise, the number of poker tournaments has been cut down to abide by social distancing rules, and the number of staffers on the table is lower than usual. Further, screens and safety shields have to be placed on casino tables and cashier counters to protect both players and casino employees.
Each UK region also has its specific restrictions depending on the severity of the virus in local jurisdictions. For instance, Glasgow and Moray in Scotland remain under level 3 restrictions, and so, no casino gaming is allowed to resume there. On top of that, casinos in Scotland can only operate until 10:30 pm and aren’t allowed to serve alcoholic drinks.
Gaming Industry Stakeholders Approve the New Measures
After the Prime Minister’s announcement, Rank Group’s Mecca Bingo was among the first UK operators to welcome the long-awaited exit of the third phase of the national lockdown. The leading bingo brand is celebrating its diamond anniversary this year, having opened the doors of its first venue in London back in 1961. The Director of National Operations at Mecca Bingo, John Dyson, released a press briefing saying:
Quote“We’re expecting this to be the year of bingo, and we’re coming back in style. People are going to expect a lot more from their leisure spend and are keen to find new social experiences that are value for money and packed with entertainment.“Bingo ticks every box and we expect to see high demand from a new audience who want to have some fun in a safe, spacious and welcoming environment. As such we’ve really ramped up plans to evolve the bingo experience in ways that will appeal to a new audience.”
Michel Dugher, the Chief Executive Officer of the Betting and Gaming Council, UK’s gambling industry trade body, praised the reopening in a briefing as follows:
Quote“As well as providing excellent entertainment for their customers, casinos are a major contributor to the UK economy, something which will be vital in the months ahead as the government tries to repair the damage done to the nation’s finances by COVID-19.“I am also delighted that the restrictions imposed on betting shops are being lifted. Their safe reopening in April has been a huge success and this is further reward for the efforts they have made to ensure their premises are COVID-secure.”
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