Boris Johnson Delays the Reopening of Land Casinos at Last MinuteUK casino operators such as Genting and Grosvenor face further delays to opening as the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has pushed back their reopening date to August 15th “at the soonest.” The measures come as concerns grow over a resurgence of the virus in parts of England.

The UK government is being cautious after reflecting that it “could have done things differently” when the virus first hit the British Isles.

Betting and Gaming Council Unhappy

The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), which consists of some of the biggest gambling brands in the United Kingdom, expressed “utter dismay” at the decision, deriding the government’s decision as another “last minute U-Turn.” The criticism didn’t stop there. The BGC called the decision “highly illogical, inconsistent, and deeply damaging” to gambling businesses and their employees.

The news comes as Chancellor Rishi Sunak refused to roll back the ending of the furlough scheme, meaning many more UK casino employees could face unemployment.

Online Casinos Reap the Benefits

One group that won’t be too dismayed about Boris Johnson’s decision is UK online casinos and game operators. Many of them have reaped the benefits of the lockdowns and restrictions that have characterized much of 2020.

This year alone, we have reported that:

  • Swedish Evolution Gaming has reported record revenues, proving a pick-up in live casino gaming.
  • Playtech benefited from a temporary contract when an Asian live gaming provider was unable to open.
  • Online casino activity picked up dramatically all across England, with searches for “online casinos” exploding across the country.

As players discover the benefits of online casinos and particularly live dealer games, British land casinos may struggle to win them back again, especially if there are fears of another viral outbreak.

Where to Play Casino Games Online

While UK players wait for casinos to reopen, with no sure idea of when that might happen, there are several great options for them to play live games online. We highly recommend playing at 32Red online casino.

Why do we recommend this site over all others?

  • It offers live dealer games from Evolution Gaming, including baccarat, blackjack, and roulette.
  • It also has hundreds of video slots from NetEnt, Microgaming, and others, including progressive jackpot slots.
  • 32Red offers fast payouts by bank transfer, PayPal, Neteller, Skrill, and Paysafecard.

UK players don’t need to worry about when land casinos will reopen. Let the operators worry about that! Luckily, UK gamblers are spoiled for choice when it comes to playing live casino games online.