10pm curfew could devastate casinos say worried Betting and Gaming Council
Land based casinos in the UK have literally only been open for a few short weeks after being one of the last sectors to be allowed to open, and now they face another blow as the Government have warned of 10pm curfews to be introduced in order to reduce the spread of Covid.
10pm curfews
With worries of a second wave of Covid hitting, and order to avoid a second nationwide lockdown, there has been talk of 10pm curfews being introduced, which would mean that bars, restaurants, bingo halls and casinos would have to close at 10pm and therefore drastically reduce their earning potential. With casinos only just given the green light to re-open, this could have a drastic effect and put thousands of jobs at risk.
Casinos have already spent time and money putting in measure to ensure their venues are Covid safe and have had to significantly limit the capacity numbers, which is already putting a strain on revenue. With around 50 – 70% of players visiting casinos after 10pm, a potential curfew could devastate the industry.
Betting and Gaming Council serious concerns
The boss of the Betting and Gaming Council Michael Dugher, along with the boss of Genting UK, Paul Wilcock, wrote to the Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden, to express their concern and request that the casino industry not be included in any potential curfews. They wrote that a blanket curfew would devastate the industry and result in the loss of thousands of jobs in a very short time period, with casinos in the UK alone employing over 14,000 staff.
Their letter also highlighted that the age group the Government were trying to target, was not the average age of casino players. The average casino player is aged 48, way above the age group the Government are targeting.
Dugher went on to say that the Government need to support the gambling industry and that any potential new measures that need to be brought in, should focus on those most at risk and areas of the highest risk.
The Government are expected to make an announcement any moment now to address the nation and lay out any new measures to be put in place.
