Casinos in British Columbia have had their doors shut since March 2020, but tangible hope is on the horizon. The province has initiated a COVID-19 restart and the B.C. Lottery Corporation has stated that it is thrilled to begin setting plans to safely `reopen casinos and community gaming centers in motion.
Reopening of these venues could happen as soon as July 1, and this would form part of Stage 3 of the province’s plan and be contingent upon 70 percent of the B.C. population receiving at least a single vaccine dose.
Once the establishments do reopen, the BCLC has stated that a series of measures will be instituted to ensure the safety of visitors and staff.
A two-meter space will be maintained between table games, slot machines, and other gambling equipment. Physical barriers will be erected where physical distancing is impractical or where casino employees have to interact with players.
Table games will be changed to those where cards are dealt face up to avoid players touching the cards. The only exception to this will be Squeeze Baccarat where one-time use cards are employed.
