UK Government Orders Temporary Closure of Casinos and Betting Shops

The UK government has ordered all the betting shops, bingo halls and casinos in the country to temporarily shut down their operations as part of the measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The closure was not limited to gambling businesses as restaurants, cafes, bars, clubs, theatres, cinemas, gyms, museums and other premises were also ordered to temporarily close. Environmental Health and Trading Standards officers will be responsible for monitoring compliance with the new regulations.

Rishi Sunak, Chancellor of Exchequer, has announced plans to help protect jobs that were affected by the closures.

“That means workers in any part of the UK can retain their job, even if their employer cannot afford to pay them, and be paid at least 80% of their salary. The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will cover the cost of wages backdated to March 1st and will be open initially for at least three months – and I will extend the scheme for longer if necessary,” Sunak said.