Ontario casinos shut down for 3 weeks as province adopts new Covid prevention measures

Casinos in Ontario, Canada, are about to go through another lockdown as the province looks to prevent COVID-19 infections from rising any more. Hundreds of workers could be affected by these closures. 

The announcement was made Monday by Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who stated that the province will be bringing back “Step 2” of its reopening plan. This will impact indoor spaces such as casinos, which will close for three weeks, as well as other businesses like restaurants and gyms.

Gateway Casinos and Entertainment, owner of Casino Rama and other properties, confirmed its temporary closure effective Wednesday, January 5 at 12:01 a.m. through an email sent to its staff.

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Casino Rama Resort in Ontario.

Robert Mitchell, representative of the company, commented that the company can not provide details on precisely how many staff members will be affected. The property was preparing for the opening of its entertainment centre. However, due to the increased cases of the virus, shows set for January and February will be rescheduled. 

Niagara Casinos has also made it clear that both Fallsview Casino Resort and Casino Niagara will also close down for around three weeks. Their closure is also set for Wednesday, January 5, as the new measure comes into effect on that day. 

Fallsview Casino

The President of the company, Richard Taylor, said that since the reopening of the gaming amenities in the summer, both of them have welcomed back patrons in a safe environment. He also explained that the company is in close discussions with the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation and the Public Health authorities to provide a reopening date in the following weeks. 

Caesars Windsor also announced it will join the new measures, closing until January 26. All programming, concerts, events, hotel and dining reservations have been canceled. 

“The health and safety of our employees and guests remain a priority and we look forward to welcoming you back at a time when it is safe for our community,” Kevin Laforet, president of Caesars Windsor, said in a statement Monday.

Guests of the hotel will have to leave by noon Tuesday and the casino’s gaming floor will close by midnight. Hotel reservations will not be booked until further notice. officials said.

The Live to Rock concert, scheduled for January 20, will be rescheduled to the summer of 2022. The Alice Cooper concert scheduled for January 27 will be canceled. Ticketholders for postponed shows can hold onto their tickets. Refund requests will be handled through the original point of purchase. Canceled shows will automatically be refunded through Ticketmaster or by request through the original point of purchase. 

“Caesars Windsor looks forward to welcoming back our guests and employees soon. We continue to support the provincial government and our local public health unit in preventing the spread of COVID-19. We remain dedicated to providing a comfortable environment with rigorous safety protocols where the health and safety of everyone is a priority”, casino officials stated.