Another blow for Casinos and Betting shops as lockdown measures force closures
The Welsh First Minister has announced that non-essential businesses including casinos and betting shops, are to close for 17 days as part of a ‘fire-breaker lockdown’ starting on 23rd October, in order to try and reduce the spread of Covid. With parts of Lancashire and Liverpool also in local lockdown, for casinos and many other businesses, this is a devastating blow.
Non-essential businesses to close
Mark Drakeford, the Welsh First Minister, announced the measures yesterday, which will see all non-essential businesses in the hospitality, retail and leisure industry, closing for 17 days. For the betting industry, this means 366 betting shops to close.
Other business affected by these measures are pubs, restaurants, leisure and retail shops. Employees have been told they should work from home wherever possible and both indoor and outdoor gatherings of anyone that doesn’t live in your household, will be banned
Casinos and betting shops were one of the last businesses to be allowed to re-open after the initial Nation-wide lockdown in March and revenue has suffered greatly as a result. This latest announcement could put thousands of jobs at risk once again.
Betting and Gaming Council
The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) have now urged the Government to step in and offer a support package for the whole industry in the UK. Tier 3 restrictions have already forced 350 betting shops in Liverpool and 200 betting shops in Lancashire to close.
The CEO of the BGC, Mark Dugher, went on to say there is still no evidence that betting shops and casinos have contributed to the spread of Covid, and they have all adhered to the strict healthy and safety guidelines to ensure they are Covid secure.
He said: “We understand the Government’s need to tackle COVID, but they must balance that with the need to protect jobs. From the beginning of the pandemic, betting shops and casinos have played their full role in the national effort to tackle this virus. It is therefore hugely disappointing that as they are starting to get back on their feet again, those venues in Merseyside and Lancashire have had the rug pulled from under them by the Prime Minister.”
