Western Australia Casinos Reopen Saturday
All live casino venues in Australia closed back in March due to COVID-19. Now, Western Australian players will not have to wait any longer to gamble. Starting on Saturday, June 27, Western Australia will ease COVID-19 restrictions and move to Phase 4.
What this means is casinos in Western Australia will be able to reopen at 50 percent capacity. This will allow players to start playing pokies, blackjack, and all other live casino games. Crown Casino will quickly reopen, welcoming back players.
Crown Casino to Reopen Saturday
Western Australia’s largest employer in the hospitality industry reopens on Saturday as Crown Casino in Burswood will reopen following the announcement of Phase 4. The casino was last open on March 23.
A spokeswoman for the Crown Casino confirmed that the casino will indeed reopen at 6 am on Saturday, June 23rd to the public. According to the statement released, “Crown has worked closely with government and health authorities to ensure that our reopening can be done in a safe manner for the community, and in compliance with all government mandates including physical distancing requirements and hygiene measures. The past few months have been challenging for many Western Australians, and we look forward to welcoming thousands of our employees back to work in coming weeks.”
In line with expert health advice, Phase 4 of eased restrictions in Western Australia will commence this Saturday 27 June. pic.twitter.com/dU0MsKq3Wu
— Mark McGowan (@MarkMcGowanMP) June 22, 2020
There are several positive changes coming as a result of moving to Phase 4. First, there will be no restrictions on venue capacity. Under Stage 3 restrictions, patrons had to remain seated while in facilities. This opens the door for live performances such as concerts, comedy nights, and more.
Gaming floor capacity is based on the 2sqm rule. To ensure social distancing, casinos must switch off every other pokies machine. Social distancing measures, in general, will still be recommended but things will be closer to normal than they have been in a while.
Reopening Will Be a Boost to Employment in Western Australia
With the reopening of Crown Casino and other hospitality establishments, you can expect a boost in employment across the region. According to Bradley Woods, Australian Hotels Association (WA) Chief Executive, “The vast majority of venues will and should be open and we’ll see a very large return to employment for a lot of people as well. What we need now is for West Australians to get out and about, now is the time to be returning to your favourite locations en masse.”
One thing that will potentially hamper players returning to the Crown is the hard border restriction still in place. The hard border will remain in place and interstate travel blocked. This is due to a recent outbreak of COVID-19 cases in Victoria. Granted, caution was to be expected and Western Australia is well ahead of other states in easing restrictions.
Continue to Use Precaution as Necessary
While things are beginning to return to normal across Australia, the global pandemic is not over. As such, make sure you are taking any necessary precautions. If you are immuno-compromised or are regularly around someone that is, continue to use masks and practice all necessary precautions to block the spread of coronavirus.
Don’t forget, there are still alternatives to playing at live casinos. Australian online casinos offer a fantastic way to play games like roulette and video poker without having to interact with others. If you’re outside of Western Australia, this will be your best option as interstate travel to WA is restricted.
Luckily, things are beginning to return to normal, meaning that we can get back to enjoying our favorite activities. As long as we are smart and take any necessary precautions, we can soon put this pandemic behind us.