Casino Rama is paving the way for its official return closer to the casino patrons willing to try their luck. Rob Mitchell, Director Communications and Public Affairs for Gateway Casinos and Entertainment, recently confirmed that the casino resort is currently working on its reopening plan in collaboration with Ontario’s government eyeing all regulations and recommendations.
Brick-and-mortar casino gaming came to a halt mid-March and ever since then, the casino venues across Ontario and the remaining Canadian provinces and territories have remained closed. Casino Rama Resort was among the facilities to close for business and wait for better times to come. They might be closer than we think, as the casino management is paving the way for in-person casino gambling soon.
Reopening Soon
Casino Rama is among the popular casino locations on a provincial level, as well as the largest tribal casino venue in the province. Gateway Casinos oversees its daily operation and it could be recalled that the month of March witnessed some efforts to keep it running despite the changing situation. Casino Rama was among the venues introducing fortified hygiene measures and sanitation stations across the casino floor.
However, this proved to be insufficient when the provincial government confirmed that al brick-and-mortar casino venues have to close indefinitely. Mr. Mitchell recently highlighted the efforts aiming to see the facility reopen in the foreseeable future. The casino operator works in close collaboration with the provincial government in order to implement health-and-safety protocols meeting the expectations.
Public health officials are guiding the process and making sure that future patrons would have their health protected while gambling at the facility. For the time being, the spokesperson was unable to specify the safety measures that would be introduced at the popular casino location. Mr. Mitchell pointed out that the flat surfaces around the casino venue, such as table games and slot machines are being cleaned on a daily basis.
Preparation Phase
Fortifying these measures through various means would give casino patrons peace of mind. In the meantime, Casino Rama workers are staying home, as the lockdown continues. The first days of April saw Gateway Casinos and Entertainment announce that they are about to see their benefits covered until June 30. This was a way for the casino giant to support its workers in these trying times.
It should be taken into account that the casino operator is legally obliged to cover the employee benefits for the time window of six weeks following a temporary layoff. This period came to an end on April 30. Unifor executive Deb Tveit actively participated in the conversation, making it clear that the casino workers should be treated with respect and understanding, calling for the extension of the benefits deadline.
Once the casino venue reopens, its management might continue with its plans eyeing the introduction of a special smoking gaming area. It could allow players to gamble and smoke at the same time and it would be accessible by smokers only. Unifor Local 1090 opposed the decision for a smoking room that also allows gambling, as this would present a health risk for the casino employees catering to its needs.
