Casino News & Technology Editor
With a few new cases of COVID-19 popping up across the nation in the last couple of weeks, a number of so-called “circuit breaker lockdowns” have been put into practice. These special types of lockdowns are supposed to provide contact tracing experts with enough time to come across those individuals who have been directly or indirectly exposed to the newly reported cases.
Needless to say, the new lockdowns have once again caused various disruptions in the regular activity of land casinos and we can expect similar disruptions to occur in the near future, given the uncertainty of the current pandemic and its unpredictable course.
Here is some useful information on the Australian casinos that were forced to close down as of recently, as well as the current status of these venues, along with some safe alternatives for passionate players.
Several Aussie gambling facilities were forced to temporarily close their doors as a result of the fresh lockdown restrictions, as follows:
The casino has closed its doors as a result of the city being placed under lockdown until the 2nd of July. The casino has since opened its gates to domestic and foreign patrons alike and its current opening hours are Monday through Sunday from 10 am till 4 am. At the same time, NT Keno has also been reopened and it is at the moment operating from the primary Keno counter.
A series of casinos in Queensland have also temporarily suspended their activity, with names like The Star Gold Coast, The Ville Resort Casino, and Treasury Brisbane worth mentioning here. Ever since the restrictions have been imposed, Queensland has not recorded any fresh cases of infections, which has led to a number of restrictions being eased. At the moment, The Star Gold Coast casino is open every day, while still closely following a Covid Safe Site Specific Plan. Visitors should be aware of the fact that their access to the casino floor might be sometimes restricted and solely allowed for registered members and their guests. Also, face masks are to be worn at all times in order to be allowed access to the casino.
As of July 9th, New South Wales has recorded another 44 new cases of Covid-19 infections. Accordingly, a new set of restrictions have been imposed regarding shopping, exercise, and funeral activities in the Greater Sydney area, as well as the areas around it. Western Australia has imposed stricter restrictions at the border for people entering from New South Wales.
At the end of June, Sydney has entered a new coronavirus lockdown. Accordingly, The Star Sydney announced a sudden halt on all of its operations for 7 days, then decided to expand the closure period to 14 days, effective starting the 25th of June. The Star Grand Residences has stayed open exclusively to current guests while limiting some of its facilities. The Star Sydney will continue to be closed following Covid-19 restrictions until at least the 17th of July at 12.01 am. This approximate opening time will, however, remain open for debate, depending on the evolution of the new cases in the Sydney area.
These fresh lockdowns and casino closures in the area are mainly caused by the “Bondi Cluster.” Bondi is the name of a popular beach suburb in Sydney with little over 10,000 residents. The term “cluster” refers to a minimum of two individuals infected with a virus that features an identical genetic sequence. The infected individuals do not live in the same household but have crossed paths at some point. The Bondi Cluster has spread to the people of Victoria, Western Australia, Queensland, as well as the Northern Territory. Luckily, heavy testing and strict lockdowns help eradicate these clusters within three weeks.
Moreover, as opposed to previous clusters, the Delta variant of the coronavirus appears to be fuelling the Bondi virus. Delta appears to be a lot more contagious compares to the initial original strain, and most people will usually pass it on to more than just a single individual. Delta also apparently gives infected individuals a high viral load in a shorter amount of time.
Western Australia has announced a lockdown of four days at the end of June, with the Crown Perth Casino initially shutting down all of its gambling activities for a three-day period that later on expanded until July the 2nd. At the moment, Crown Perth Casino is once again open to the public, safely welcoming back patrons and visitors to its gambling floor, as well as all of its bars, restaurants, and theatre. The casino has put specific contact registration in place and has also beefed up its hygiene measures throughout the entire resort. Visitors are not officially asked to wear face coverings in order to be allowed access on the premises. However, wearing masks is encouraged here.
There are many uncertainties revolving around when the next casino shutdowns will take place because of the new cases of infection and the latest virus variants. Plus, the recent coronavirus outbreak in Sydney is expected to further expand the lockdown measures in the city and the area surrounding it for the upcoming two months. This has also caused the much-anticipated Australasian Gaming Expo to be cancelled until 9-11 August 2022, leaving passionate gamblers and gamers thirsty for new entertainment. Other parts of the country are also standing under a big coronavirus question mark.
Luckily, there are plenty of fun, trustworthy, and rewarding online casinos and mobile casinos that can be easily accessed via smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and laptops, with no need to worry about fancy dress codes and smoking in-house. They are open and available 24/7 and they can be accessed from any remote location, from any device, as long as you have a decent connection to the internet. We have reviewed the best online casinos for real money that are fully compatible with Aussie players. Take advantage of their exclusive bonus offers, free spins, and no deposit bonuses, and play from the comfort of your own home, during the next Covid-19 lockdown.
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