Casinos reportedly hope to reopen in July, with every second slot machine turned off
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South African casinos believe they'll be able to open their doors to the public again soon, probably within a couple of weeks, though gambling floors may look a little different, Moneyweb reported on Friday.
There "is no reason" why casinos can't open again on 1 July, Tsogo Sun Gaming CEO Chris du Toit told Moneyweb journalist Suren Naidoo. And there are indications that the government "want the sector to open in July", said Sun International CEO Anthony Leeming.
Among the measures proposed to return safely to gambling are switching off every second slot machine to ensure social distancing, Du Toit told the publication.
Casinos believe they are well equipped to implement measures to curb the spread of Sars-CoV-2, thanks to already strict rules on access control, pervasive surveillance, and heavy security, which will make it relatively easy to limit the number of people on a gambling floor at any one time.
Although most economic sectors have been allowed to operate under Alert Level 3, and even professional sports may now resume, there had until recently been no strong indications that the ban on personal-care services (such as hairdressing) and entertainment venues will be lifted any time soon.
"The gazetted regulations relate to the legal approval of our submission to collaborate and speak to our competitors on a co-ordinated industry opening, once the lockdown regulations allow us to reopen," cinema chain Nu Metro told Business Insider South Africa. "At this stage, we don’t know when that will be."
Gambling may return, but crowded floors will not
Measures proposed by the gambling industry to keep patrons safe include limiting crowds, regular screenings for fever, and enhanced cleaning routines.
With a few exceptions, such measures have become standard around the world, albeit with unique twists in different territories.
In Bulgaria, regulators say gamblers must wear gloves as well as masks, and in British Columbia, plexiglass dividers between slot machines have been suggested.
(Compiled by Phillip de Wet)
