UK Orders Shutter of Casinos and Betting Shops

This week the government of the UK has ordered betting shops, bingo halls, and casinos to close in order to help stop the spread of Covid-19 throughout the country.

The UK has been slow to react to the coronavirus pandemic, but Prime Minister Boris Johnson has implemented the closures of casinos, bingo halls, betting shops, pubs, restaurants, cinemas, gyms, museums, and other spots that see large groups of people congregating. The closures went into place on March 20th, and will remain shuttered until further notice, with reviews happening every 28 days.

Employees laid off by the closures can be kept on by their employers, with government grants covering 80% of salaries up to £2,500 per month. Employers can make up the further 20% if they want. Extreme rates of unemployment are expected throughout the globe, with some estimates showing that up to 30% of people could be laid off from jobs as a result of closures related to Covid-19.

Speaking about the closures BGC CEO Michael Dugher said, "Whilst we are naturally sad to see our doors closed, we hope that this decisive action taken by the government will see the whole country come through this crisis and that our businesses, and those who work for them, will prosper in the future as we continue to work hard to raise standards and bring enjoyment to our millions of customers."