B.C. Casino Staff Claim Ongoing Lockdown is Unfair Treatment

British Columbia casino locations have remained closed for the past half a year and there is no timeline for their reopening issued publicly. David Screech, Mayor of View Royal, recently said that keeping the local Elements Casino closed is the most appropriate thing the province could do at the moment.

Casino patrons frequenting the casino locations in View Royal have been supporting the host community with their gaming activities for years now. The unprecedented situation mandated the closure of all casinos and gambling halls within British Columbia mid-March and this has remained the status quo ever since. Elements Casino in View Royal is among the popular venues in the region, attracting hundreds of players.

Elements Casino

More than half a year after lockdown, the casino remains closed and the provincial government has not issued a plan for action. Mayor Screech stated that there is a valid reason for the ongoing closure of the gambling location and the area supports it. Public health officials want to take a cautious approach which is the reason why the gambling hotspot has remained closed after many provinces decided to greenlight in-person gaming.

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Mayor Screech stated that most of the people making their way at the casino location could be putting their health at risk by doing so, as they are in the specific vulnerable demographic. Local officials understand the position of the provincial government and want to see the best for the people of View Royal. In the meantime, the community includes the people that have been temporarily laid off as a result of the closure.

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Casino employees have not had the chance to return to their workplace for months now and they are worried about their future. Some of the people directly affected by the lockdown of the casino have expressed their position that the situation is unfair and it puts them in a worse position than some other individuals.

View Royal Mayor

It should be noted that British Columbia allowed restaurants and bars to relaunch operation with all safety measures needed for the protection of their customers. The provincial government included these venues in this phase of the business reopening plans, leaving casino locations reopening for a future moment. The province of Ontario is set to relaunch the operation of 11 casinos on September 28.

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Great Canadian Gaming Corporation is the casino operator that oversees them too and it has issued the plan for action for the upcoming weeks. Ontario and New Brunswick are the provinces eligible for property reopenings at this stage. Mayor Screech expressed his doubts regarding the reopenings in Ontario in particular, as every step has to be done with great caution.

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British Columbia Lottery Corporation made it clear that reopening plans have been worked on. Once it receives green light for the relaunch, Elements Casino is expected to see plexiglass screens across its casino floor. The number of slot machines in operation will also be reduced, as many of those will be switched off in order to promote physical distance between the patrons.