Betting and Gaming Commission Criticizes Scottish Casino Reopening Schedule

Dr. Lisa Ackerley, known as Dr. Hygiene, conducted an independent study of the Grosvenor casino facility to produce a report on COVID-19 measures.

The group is now calling on the Scottish government to reconsider restrictions imposed on the industry to avoid hundreds of jobs disappearing.

The casino business, which employs 700 people in Scotland, has invested millions of pounds to make the venues safe for employees and customers, including plexiglas screens between game tables, ID scanning technology on entry, hand sanitation stations and social distancing signs throughout the venue.

Under current Scottish Government plans, casinos will only be allowed to reopen in Level 1 areas, while other hospitality venues such as pubs and restaurants will only be allowed to reopen in Level 2 areas.

Dr. Ackerley, Chartered’s environmental health practitioner, said, “The casino industry responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by accepting the need to implement strict measures in full to keep employees and customers safe.

“In my opinion, the industry’s response has resulted in many other areas, for example socialising and alcohol consumption, being safer during the pandemic, if not safer than some of the other areas in the hospitality sector in general.

“I don’t think there’s any reason for the casino industry to be treated harsher in terms of lockdown measures than the rest of hospitality. In fact, you can see that the actions taken by casinos actually provide more protection to employees and the public. There doesn’t seem to be a logical or scientific reason to shut down the casino industry where pubs and restaurants are allowed to operate in Scotland.”

Dr. Ackerley’s report is the first to be produced in the UK, and the results are based on evidence from an independent evaluation conducted by Food Alert at locations including Edinburgh Mabury and Glasgow Merchant City at Grosvenor Casino. Grosvenor Casino has now received a Food Allert COVID-19 security certificate.

The report states how casinos should not be treated differently for the rest of the hospitality sector, such as pubs, restaurants, cinemas and arcades, which have largely been able to remain open at Level 2 under the current Scottish Strategy Framework.

Jonathon Swain, managing director of Grosvenor Casino, said, “Dr. Ackerley’s findings provide objective and scientific evidence that casinos have been treated unfairly and that the time has come for corrections to be made. It clearly concludes that forcing casinos to close in second-tier areas is absurd.

“Her report strengthens the commitment and investment that the already heavily regulated casino industry is committed to making our venues safe and secure for all our colleagues and customers.

“We are now appealing to the First Minister and the Scottish Government to heed this compelling evidence. When some parts of the country return to second-class conditions, casinos should be allowed to open, and the casino industry deserves equal and fair treatment. All we are asking for is an equitable approach to hospitality, based on the highest quality evidence that exists.”

Michael Dugger, chief executive of the Betting and Gaming Commission, said: “The order to close casinos in Scotland’s Level 2 area was an unnecessary hit to the 700 hard-working men and women they employ.

It is regrettable that, despite repeated invitations, a Scottish Government official has not been able to visit our members’ casinos and directly identify the excellent COVID-19 measures they have implemented. 슬롯사이트

“As Dr. Ackerley’s report confirms, casinos are safer, if not safer, than many other hospitality venues, such as pubs and restaurants, so why are they being treated differently? In England, casinos will reopen safely when the rest of the hospitality venues are available.

“It is not too late for the Scottish Government to rethink, follow the evidence, and allow casinos to reopen safely in phase two.”