Casinos in England were allowed to reopen from that Saturday, 15, two weeks after what was initially planned by the local government. Casinos have remained closed in the country since the end of March as a result of the new coronavirus pandemic, but were due to return to operation on August 1.
However, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, decided to “push the limits” of the country’s reopening plans. The day before the planned restart, the date for the casinos was postponed by at least two weeks.
Now, the UK government has announced that easing plans will be carried out over the weekend, with casinos among the list of companies that may open their doors for the first time in months.
Celebrating the resumption of casinos in England
In reaction to the news, the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) released a statement welcoming “late” reopenings as a “welcome relief” to industry officials.
The BGC previously said that the casino industry “may never recover” from the decision to postpone the reopening. Estimating that the delay would cost more than £ 5 million ($ 6.5 million) per week for indoor locations.
Although now allowed to reopen, BGC CEO Michael Dugher believes that England’s casinos “are not yet out of danger”.
He urged the government to provide support to the sector, including requests to extend the license system. Dugher also pressured the Welsh and Scottish governments to follow suit, allowing their casinos to reopen.
Effects of Coronavirus in England
According to researchers, about 6% of the English population may have had the coronavirus. But, the official figures show 267 thousand confirmed cases with about 42 thousand deaths. Worldwide, more than 20 million have already been affected by Covid-19 with approximately 760,000 deaths.
