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Ontario casinos prepare to re-open

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Any other year, the nightspots around Ontario would be bracing themselves for peak season as the nation starts getting into the Christmas spirit. 2020 is, of course, no ordinary year. With the lockdowns and social distancing rules that have been coming and going, not just in Ontario but across the world, businesses in the hospitality sector will be glad to be able to open their doors to paying customers at all.

Differing fortunes in the casino sector

That is particularly the case when it comes to casinos. In this sector, there has been a definite divide between the haves and the have-nots. The haves are those operators who have a presence in cyberspace. For them, 2020 has been a strong year. People have found themselves with time on their hands and nowhere to go but online during periods of lockdown. As a result, real money online casino Canada sites have enjoyed surging player numbers.

That has come at the expense of the traditional land-based casinos that do not have a web-based offering. All that they could do was look on, wait and hope that when the time came to reopen, visitors would return. Is that likely to happen, or have gamblers become so comfortable with the online experience that they no longer want to venture out?

We put this question to Mark Pilarski, an industry expert from Casino Senpai and he noted that statistics from Google Trends show a marked increase in interest for online casinos in 2020 compared to last year. He predicts that once the land-based casinos reopen, that balance will shift slightly again, although it might take time for people to feel confident about re-entering social situations.

Safety is the watchword

Providing that level of confidence is absolutely vital to the casino operators in order to tempt their customers away from cyberspace, at least on a Friday or Saturday night. Mohegan Gaming operates two of Ontario’s best-known casino resorts, the Fallsview and Casino Niagara, as well as others around the world – their full portfolio is shown at the Mohegan Gaming website. The operator has been highly transparent in its commitment to meet or exceed whatever health regulations are laid down by the Government of Ontario in order to protect both staff and customers.

A key step towards reopening has been a full and very public audit of both facilities to ensure they meet the requirements of the Ontario Gaming Industry Health and Safety Guidelines. Let’s check how Ontario’s casinos are progressing on the road to reopening, and what we can expect to see when the doors are flung wide.

Fallsview Casino

With its 3,000 slots and video poker games plus 130 table games and frequent big-name entertainment acts, it is fair to say that the nightlife around Niagara has seemed very quiet while Fallsview Casino has been closed. A Reopening Committee is in place, and is in daily contact with gaming authorities and local government. A firm date for reopening is expected to be announced imminently.

When the casino does reopen its doors, do not expect business as usual. Maximum occupancy numbers will be strictly limited, and the likelihood is that only slot and electronic games will be available at first, with table games reopening at a later date. Customers and staff will be required to observe social distancing rules and face masks are likely to be mandatory.

Casino Niagara

As a sister operation to Fallsview that is run by the same operator, it will come as no surprise that it is an identical story at Casino Niagara. Again, the casino is currently in a watch and wait position, but a reopening date is expected to be announced sooner rather than later.

Elements Casino

It is understandable that casinos operating on the scale of Fallsview and Niagara need plenty of time to align their processes with the new normal to maximise safety for all concerned. For more modest operations, however, it has been a different story, and Great Canada Gaming Corp was able to reopen 11 casinos at the beginning of October. Brantford is a city best known as the birthplace of Wayne Gretzky, but it is also home to Elements Casino.

With more than a thousand slot games the maximum occupancy of 50 inevitably means the casino lacks the buzz and atmosphere that you might be used to. Also, note that as well as table games being unavailable, keno and poker machines are also temporarily suspended.

Elements is operating a system of timed play sessions. Book your two-hour slot online, arrive 15 minutes in advance and wait to be escorted in. Following some initial complaints from patrons forced to wait in the cold to be let in, Elements has introduced a system whereby you can wait in your car and will receive a text message when it is safe to enter.

Woodbine Casino

With almost 3,000 slots and more than 100 table games, Woodbine Casino at the historic racetrack of the same name, is the biggest casino destination serving the Toronto metropolitan area. The casino reopened in October, but has had to temporarily close its doors again in recent weeks due to stricter measures laid down by the City of Toronto on November 10.

Prior to doing so, it had operated along very similar lines to Elements, with strict limits on customer numbers, a reduced choice of games and strict hygiene measures in place. Woodbine has experience on its side now, and will be ready to reopen as soon as the rules in Toronto are relaxed.

Prepare for the new normal

Operators, customers and staff are all impatient to see Ontario’s casinos reopen. However, it is important to remember that there is a long road ahead and we are still far from a return to normal.

Slot game devotees who like to focus on the game will be in their element, but those who are longing for the hustle and bustle of a busy roulette wheel or craps table will have to satisfy themselves with the online alternative for some time yet.

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