As the Canadian province of Alberta embarks on the third stage of its reopening strategy, bingo facilities throughout the region are prepared to greet patrons once more.
Gaming establishments, horse racing tracks, and bingo venues were originally scheduled to resume operations earlier this month, but those intentions were postponed, as reported by the Calgary Sun. These locations are now poised to reopen under Stage 3 of Alberta’s reopening strategy, which is anticipated to commence by the conclusion of March.
“Our aim is to maintain a cautious approach,” stated Brenda Pope, supervisor of Edmonton’s Castledowns Bingo Hall (shown above). “Therefore, the new standard of operation will be significantly different from the previous one.” She elaborated that despite the majority of residents being inoculated, the establishment will continue to enforce stringent safety measures, including disinfection procedures and temperature screenings.
Vik Mahajan, chief executive officer of River Cree Resort and Casino, conveyed that the facilities are prepared to reopen promptly. He indicated that video lottery terminals were non-operational for approximately 160 days due to pandemic-related limitations, while table games were unavailable for roughly 200 days.
Although John Szumlas, head of the Alberta Bingo Association, mentioned that they are conducting online training for their personnel to ensure they are knowledgeable about the most recent COVID-19 guidelines, he acknowledged that he anticipates some reluctance from the public even after the halls reopen.
The Alberta government projects CAD $1.25 billion (USD 987.3 million) in earnings from gaming and lottery in the 2021-22 financial year, compared to $527 million in the 2020-21 financial year, which was notably lower than the pre-pandemic projection of $1.4 billion.
The Mahayana school emphasizes that a significant driver in reaching this objective is the substantial, unmet desire for wagering.