Casinos in South Korea are subject to new suspensions report local media outlets as covid-19 cases start climbing back up again.
South Korean Casinos to Shut Down Again on Tuesday
Casinos in South Korea’s Seoul Metropolitan area, including Incheon, will have to shutter operations at 12 am on Tuesday, November 24, to help combat the recent spike in covid-19 infections. Local outlets have confirmed the news adding that the measures impact four casinos that focus on providing gaming solutions to overseas visitors. Casinos have experienced ups-and-downs in relation to recent restrictions related to the covid-19 pandemic.
All Gangnam Coex Seoul, Gangbuk Millenium Seoul Hilton, Paradise Casino Walkerhill Seoul and Paradise City Casino Incheon will have to suspend operations temporarily. Covid-19 cases in Greater Seoul have risen in the period between November 15 and November 21, to 175.1 or double the number reported a week earlier.
Nationally, South Korea reports 300 cases and the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters has issued recommendations to help keep the infection from spreading, including suspension of key businesses that are seen as transmitters of the disease.
Casinos Faced with Another Dilemma
Interestingly, casino floors in Las Vegas, Atlantic City and Macau are restarting operations, albeit at reduced capacity, while gambling establishments in the United Kingdom, for example, have begun coming to grinding halts.
Every casino has undertaken a number of measures to guarantee the safety of visitors and members of the staff. There still seem to be no specific instructions provided to the casinos from chief executives, but the properties will most likely comply with any government-issued recommendations, as they have done so far.
Walkerhill confirmed for GGRAsia, a respected regional outlet focusing on the gaming sector, that it would stop serving beverages and suspend dining options from 9 pm Monday local time. All of this is part of the Phase 2 of restrictions recommended by South Korean authorities.
In the meantime, GKL and Paradise have both suspended services to local residents on their gaming floors, but the influx of players has been declining as the virus is back on the up.
Kangwon Land, the state-owned casino, is another interesting moment as the government would not want to promote it as a spreader of disease, but then again, the economy may be better off with a more balanced approach.
Yet, as the virus continues to loom over the country, South Korea will most likely be opting out of running casinos until numbers are brought back under control.