BGC warns of job losses as casinos in northeast England subjected to 10pm curfew

Britain’s Betting and Gaming Council has warned of inevitable job losses in the casino sector after the government introduced a 10pm curfew in the northeast of England.

The curfew came into force at midnight on Thursday and will significantly impact the casino sector, which only recently reopened following the first COVID-19 lockdown and does the majority of its trade between 10pm and 5am.

“While we fully support the need to act quickly to protect public health, the simple fact is that casinos are among the most COVID-secure in the country, so ordering their closure as a way of slowing the spread of the virus makes no sense,” said a spokesperson for the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC).

“Just last month, casinos in England were given the go-ahead by public health experts to re-open after they saw for themselves the anti-COVID measures they had put in place – from Perspex screens to best-in-class track and trace systems.”

The BGC highlighted the fact that most casino patrons visit alone or in couples, making it easier to maintain social distancing in venues, and said that the 10pm curfew will disproportionately harm the industry and may lead to permanent closures.

“We would urge ministers to urgently reconsider this catastrophic and retrograde move,” the BGC added.