Gateway Casinos & Entertainment is preparing for the eventual relaunch of live casino gaming on the premises of its brick-and-mortar locations. The province is now in Stage 3 of the business reopening plan and the casino operator is evaluating its operation in Sudbury. For the time being, the gaming venue is not going to reopen.
The third stage of the provincial business reopening plan is going to include the official relaunch of land-based casino gaming, as well as gaming venues offering slot machines. Bingo gaming is also allowed to welcome patrons for its regular events. There is a restriction when it comes to the number of players participating in the in-person gaming on site.
50 People Indoors
Ontario’s government made it clear that indoors gaming activities should be limited to 50 individuals at all times, in order to protect both the patrons coming to gamble and the casino staff members working there on a daily basis. This is a reduction of the original capacity of the casino venues and gambling halls that might pose a threat to their future.
Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation pinpointed the casinos now eligible for their official reopening following four months of no in-person gaming. Gateway Casinos and Entertainment venues are also included in Stage 3 of the business reopening plan. The venues eligible for opening are located in the Southwest Gaming Bundle, spanning across Clinton, Hanover, Woodstock, Chatham, and London.
Along with them, the North and Central Bundle will also get a green light to relaunch operation. This will impact regions to the likes of Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, Thunder Bay, Rama, and Innisfil. When it comes to the Greater Sudbury region, in-person gambling might not be in the plans for the next couple of weeks. Gateway Casinos oversees slot machines gaming at Sudbury Downs and its gaming revenue allocations have supported the city coffers for years now.
Gateway Casinos Evaluates Situation
Despite the strong performance of the gaming location, its management decided to wait for a while and postpone its reopening, given the current situation and the recommendations coming from the provincial government. Reopening now with a 50-person limit would is not considered a sustainable way of operating the slot hotspots, as it would not be able to cover the costs surrounding the venue. Such a move could do more harm than good at the end of the day.
What the casino operator is planning on doing is working closely with the province, as well as public health officials, in order to provide its casino patrons with the most comprehensive safety measures down the road. Once the restrictions on the number of people allowed to be in an enclosed space have been changed, Gateway Casinos Sudbury will have to reevaluate the situation and decide its next move.
There are 70 staff members anticipating the return of in-person gaming to the region of Sudbury. Four months of lockdown have taken their toll on the casino operator. More recently, Leisure Acquisition Corporation called off a deal for the purchase of Gateway Casinos, aiming to go public.
