Casinos in England can reopen from August 1st

UK PM Boris Johnson announced that casinos in England will soon be able to open as a part of the governments plans to ease lockdown. From August 1st, all Casinos in England will be able to open their doors to gamblers, with measures put in place to protect customers.

The news has delighted the Betting and Gaming Council’s (BGC) chief executive, Michael Dugher. Dugher has repeatedly asked the government to consider including casinos in its plans to open hospitality businesses, including pubs, restaurants and hotels.

The BGC had ensured that all casinos were fit to reopen back in June, with COVID measures put in place and ready to go for July 4th. A revised floor plan and one way system designed to promote social distancing were backed up by screens, sanitising stations and regular cleaning schedules, ensuring customer safety.

On the news, Dugher said: “After four long months of lockdown, it’s fantastic to see casinos will reopen safely for business again on 1 August. I am delighted that they can now play their part in supporting the recovery of the tourism and hospitality sector.”

Boris’ new announcements only cover casinos in England, which means Scottish and Welsh casinos are still going to be closed until further notice. Scotland has only recently lessened the restrictive rules that bookies need to follow to open.

Dugher has called on the Welsh and Scottish Governments to allow casinos to reopen “without delay”, pointing to the around 2,000 employees still unable to work right now. Will you be paying a visit to your local casino to play some of your favourite games, or will you be sticking to online casino sites for the time being?