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Ever since the start of the new decade with the year 2020, the world has been reeling under one of the biggest global adversities in the form of the Coronavirus Pandemic. With its first footprints setting in from the Chinese district of Wuhan, the disease in no time enveloped the entire world in its clutches taking the death tolls to unfortunate whopping figures. The situations intensified so drastically that the governments were forced to enact a complete lockdown to promote social distancing, which is the only potential remedial solution to the pandemic. Business operations, industries, travel, and tourism came to a halt as people were forced to lock themselves in their homes to avoid meeting the deadly end.
Amid the coronavirus crisis, the casino industry is facing its hardest times as they had to shut stop their operations for an undisclosed period of time. The impact of the pandemic was first recorded in Macau when they shut their doors for nearly two weeks span. Though the authorities resumed their work after the situations improved in the region, the access was only limited to employees rather than players. The renowned Brick and Mortar casinos in the US, Las Vegas, and other countries were also forced to restrain gaming operations completely. With travel restrictions being imposed around the world, it is unlikely for the casino establishments to pool in the customers like usual.
The Casino Re-Opening Dilemma
It will be an overstatement if we say that the world will get over the COVID-19 crisis sometime soon as there is no assured time limit for the same. No organization has affirmed that by what time we will be out from the threat of the pandemic, and this is pretty scary for both at the financial level and at the individual level. So, if there is any plan to re-open the casinos in the next few months, it would be a challenge for the authorities to ensure the safety of its employees as well as everyone who walks past the doors to indulge in the game of luck. After re-opening anything of cluster developing inside the casino will have a direct impact on the brand value of the establishment.
Casino executives will be challenged to employ an extra layer of security and surveillance to stop the entry of people having corona symptoms. Strict measures should be taken to scrutinize the players in the hallway itself through the latest machinery and scans. They should be encouraged to follow the WHO guidelines regarding the maintenance of social distancing and wearing masks at all times. Those showing even the simplest signs of illness should be allowed only after getting thoroughly checked by the healthcare department. The casinos can track the stored data about their regular players and compare it with the government provided statistics to derive knowledge about the location of the players. This will help in ascertaining and ranking the risk factors associated with the location of the players as some might belong to the hot spot declared regions. The data and analytical dashboards can help the executives in assessing the risk the casino is getting exposed to, as well as helps in allowing fruitful chances to keep the business running.
The use of restaurants, bars, and resorts should be closely monitored as they could play a significant role in spoiling social distancing motto and thereby encouraging breeding of the virus. Ensuring sufficient profits will also be a major challenge for casinos as social distancing will result in a lesser number of players, less online slot machines, and table games. Thus, it becomes important for the executives to draft out a scheme that follows the guidelines while maintaining the cash inflow. Stored data can help in segregating between the players who visit the casinos for just sightseeing and those who actually play. Employment of the latest technological techniques will solve most of the problems for the casino establishments, and so they should be used efficiently.
Foxwoods To Reopen In The Wake Of COVID-19
Foxwoods, in Mashantucket, which shines as one the world’s biggest casino, is working on advanced safety measures to resume its world-class gambling network once again amid the COVID-19 crisis. Rodney Butler, the chairman of Foxwoods, is keen to find a revolutionary way of gambling and dining by ensuring the utmost safety standards. The team is planning to re-open the casino for gambling lovers while adopting efficient safety measures. Social distancing will be practiced duly, and new ways will be implemented to safeguard the inhabitants. Switching of cards at each table at regular intervals, placing open slot machines, etc. are some of the measures to be undertaken by the authorities.
