South Africa ready to reopen casinos

No official date has been given, but insiders in the South African gaming industry believe that the country’s casinos will be permitted to reopen on July 1, reports Gaming for Africa, the trade magazine.

The South African president has confirmed that the gambling industry is “set to open”, but has stopped short of providing a precise date. The industry anticipates that it will get the green light along with restaurants, business conferences and meetings.

It had been exerting pressure on the president to release it from the lockdown in view of the important role that the industry plays in tourism and hospitality, generating considerable tax revenues and employing thousands of people. The industry, from casinos to bingo and limited payout machines (AWPs), had given an undertaking that it would adhere to strict health controls and was ready to switch off one machine in two, or even three.