Today, Isle of Man-based gambling giant GVC Holdings revealed pans to resume operation in all of its 2,445 Ladbrokes- and Coral-branded betting outlets in England as of June 15th. The move comes after the UK Government announced it is set to relax the restrictions associated with the coronavirus crisis.
As the authorities said, so-called non-essential shops will be allowed to restart operations following a lengthy closure since March 2020, when the country’s Government imposed nationwide lockdown measures as part of its efforts to tackle the spread of the coronavirus infection. Non-essential shops will be permitted to reopen only in case they implement special social distancing and safety measures to make sure both their staff members and customers are protected.
GVC Holdings has shared its plans before the reopening of its retail betting shops from next week. The company said that it would make sure it is in line with the Government’s requirements by unveiling measures such as property maintenance checks on a daily basis before a betting shop is allowed to reopen, cleaning and disinfection of gaming machines, screens and bet stations.
Apart from that, the Isle of Man-based company shared that a series of tools supporting social distancing policy, such as cashier points-placed glass barriers, is to be installed. The gambling company will also place new floor markings and customer signage, additional hand sanitizer stations and cleaning products at all retail betting shops of the Ladbrokes and Coral brands.
Enhanced Safety and Social Distancing Measures Will Be Implemented in Ladbrokes and Coral Shops
GVC Holdings has noted that its staff are being trained on the new measures. They are to be equipped with personal protective measures, including protective shields, face masks and disposable gloves and will be required to stick to strict cleaning routines.
In order to be in line with the Government’s restrictions aimed at preventing large public gatherings, the gambling operator will make sure that guidance on the maximum occupancy levels of its customers is provided, based on the layout and size of each betting outlet individually. Special customer entry and exit procedures, bet placement and payment processing measures are also set to be implemented.
Apart from that, there will be measures focused on the promotion of responsible gambling, such as increased monitoring of customer behaviour that would allow Ladbrokes’ and Coral’s staff members identify players that are potentially vulnerable to gambling-related harm. Staff members are also being trained on how to interact with such customers and will be provided with full self-exclusion lists to prevent gambling addicts from getting access to retail gambling services.
England has already revealed that coronavirus restrictions will be gradually lifted, but the rest of the devolved governments across the UK, including Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are set to yet confirm the exact date when betting shops will be permitted to resume operations. GVC Holdings has already shared that it intends to reopen its shops there as soon as the lockdown restrictions are relaxed.
- Author
Olivia Cole
