Kamloops casinos ready to open on July 1, but awaiting official word from government

Both Kamloops casinos are prepared to reopen on July 1, but the company that owns them isn’t showing its hand until the province reveals details of its next step in easing COVID-19 restrictions.

All casinos in B.C. have been closed since the onset of the pandemic in March 2020. On June 29 at 1:45 p.m., the provincial government plans to unveil Step 3 of its reopening plan, which will see casinos and nightclubs reopen with capacity restrictions and safety protocols in place.

Every casino, including Cascades in Aberdeen and Chances on the North Shore, will have specific parameters for their reopenings, but some general requirements have already been released by the Kamloops-based British Columbia Lottery Corporation. Those include having Plexiglass barriers at card tables, players prohibited from touching their cards, two metres of space between table games, slot machines and other gambling equipment and occupancies reduced to match the number of seats on gambling floors.

Casino staff will be required to complete detailed training about enhanced health and safety protocols and will monitor capacity and other facility standards, including air quality.

Gateway has not said if pre-closure staffing levels will be restored at the Kamloops casinos or what their occupancy limits for customers will be.

Gateway Casinos spokesperson Tanya Gabara, told KTW via email the company hopes to release specific details for Chances and Cascades, but those will not come until the province makes the official announcement to move to Step 3.

“That said, both sites are ready to welcome everyone back on July 1,” she told KTW.