British Gaming Council warns "Job losses are inevitable"Several times this year, we’ve reported news about clashes between the British Gaming Council (BGC) and the British government. It’s clear that the BGC continues to be unsatisfied with the government’s public health response and its impact on the UK gambling industry. 

“Job losses are inevitable,” is the message the BGC sent this week in response to the government’s 10PM curfew in Northeast England.

 

Why the 10PM Curfew? What’s Happening?

As England and the wider UK continues to battle with COVID-19 clusters, and as cases have significantly picked up over the past month, the government recently introduced a 10PM curfew in Northeast England as well as several local lockdowns. The curfew came into play on Thursday at midnight.

Inevitably, this will impact the gambling industry, as many people prefer to visit casinos late at night. The BGC expressed as much, stating that the industry was just beginning to find its feet again after a months-long lockdown and slow reopening process.

Last month, we reported that the BGC was dissatisfied with the government’s reopening schedule, with casinos being some of the last entertainment venues to reopen.

The BGC urged the government to reconsider its curfew, reasoning that most people visit casinos alone or as couples. The theory is that this would make it easier to maintain social distancing measures than in other entertainment venues.

 

Will Nationwide Casino Closures Occur?

The UK government has expressed its desire to avoid nationwide lockdowns again, but that will depend on how fast the new cases of the virus spike and what’s needed to control the outbreak. Inevitably, more jobs will be lost, and casinos and betting shops will not escape the economic consequences.

From our standpoint, the message is clear: it’s still not safe to gamble in land casinos in England and the wider United Kingdom. Clearly, the virus is still present and spreading quickly. There’s no need to take the risk of contracting it when you can play table and card games with live dealers online.

As the lockdown kicked in earlier this year, many British players discovered that playing blackjack, baccarat, and roulette with live dealers has lots of advantages over playing at land casinos. It’s doubtful that land casinos will win back all of their players anytime soon.

If you’re itching to play casino games in England, we urge you to put your safety first. Try live dealer roulette or blackjack at 32Red or Mr Green instead. You’ll be surprised how fun the experience is!