Genting Casino has revealed that it is considering the closure of three of its gambling venues in the UK. As explained by the union bosses, the measure was taken into consideration after the gambling firm had suffered a strong financial blow due to the coronavirus lockdown. The operator has written to staff members to inform them about the plans for job losses ahead of casino reopening.
According to reports, three casinos of the brand’s 29 sites across the UK – the venues in Bristol, Torquay and possibly in Margate – could be the ones set to permanently stop operation. For the time being, it remains unknown how many jobs will be cut across Genting Casino’s venues.
The casino employees are being represented by the union for hospitality and leisure workers, GMB. The latter, however, has explained that Genting Casino’s proposals to cease operations of the three venues would be just the start for similar closures across the entire leisure and hospitality sector of the country, considering the industry is now at breaking point due to the losses it suffered during the coronavirus pandemic shutdown.
As far as the rest of the Genting Casino venues in the UK are concerned, such as the one in Plymouth, they are expected to be affected by job cuts. Currently, the employees working there are on furlough under the Job retention Scheme that the Government has unveiled as part of its measures to fight the negative impact of the Covid-19 lockdown.
Genting Casino Says the Cuts Are Necessary for the Operator to Stay Viable
So far, Genting Casino has not provided additional information regarding the number of people who work at each of its venues. According to reports, there are six GMB members in Torquay and seven in Plymouth, but this is not the entire workforce of the operator there.
As it became clear, Genting has been having nationwide consultations with the GMB Union over the potential layoffs in the gambling operator’s workforce. The gambling company explained that the cuts were needed because of the negative effect of the coronavirus pandemic.
The CEO of Genting Casinos UK Paul Willcock issued a statement to the gambling operator’s employees, explaining that the lengthy shutdown of the retail gambling sector following the Covid-19 outbreak has posed unprecedented challenges to the company. Mr Willcock shared, the shutdown had a huge financial impact on the gambling operator’s business, and the foreseeable future of the company looked uncertain. As the CEO of the company explained, the layoffs were a difficult option to consider but the measure would help the gambling operator survive following the losses it suffered during the coronavirus crisis.
The regional organiser of the GMB Union South West, Matt Roberts, explained that the workers’ union would explore every avenue with Genting Casino and try to keep the jobs, no matter how difficult the situation may seem.
- Author
Olivia Cole
