Scottish bookmakers have warned First Minister Nicola Sturgeon that hundreds of jobs could be at risk if the government does not implement a business rates relief to help them cope with the cost of the Covid-19 pandemic. Unlike in England, Holyrood opted to exclude betting shops from its business relief scheme, which was designed to support businesses which had seen …
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The government has this morning confirmed that casinos in England will be allowed to reopen on 1 August, adhering to strict rules on social distancing and public safety. Casinos in Wales and Scotland will have to wait for their own reopening dates to be confirmed. In a move that has been highly praised by the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), which has …
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The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has published a personal statement from Andy Bennett, a betting shop manager of regional bookmaker Scotsbet. Bennett, a shop manager of Scotsbet Selkirk located in the constituency of Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, has branded the Scottish government’s bookmaker reopening requirements as both ludicrous and out of touch. Scotland’s 900 betting shops were allowed to …
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Casino venues remain in the lurch with regards to their future schedules, as the government denies them a July reopening. Yesterday afternoon, DCMS Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden announced the government’s latest easing orders for leisure and hospitality businesses – a ‘significant lifting of lockdown restrictions for arts, entertainment and sport’. From this Saturday (11 July), England’s outdoor pools, sports pitches …
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As UK businesses wait for Chancellor Rishi Sunak to issue his ‘summer statement’ tomorrow, the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has continued to pressure the government to reopen casinos this July. Branded as a ‘critical mini-budget’, Sunak’s statement will underline vital business grants, industry subsidies and workforce schemes to help boost the UK’s economic recovery from COVID-19’s aftershocks. Writing to …
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The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has demanded that the Scottish Government lift ‘draconian restrictions’ that are wrecking the viability of Scottish bookmakers making a business comeback from lockdown. Closed since mid-March, Scotland’s 900 betting shops were allowed to reopen on Monday 29 June. However, Scottish National Party (SNP) ministers applied last-minute requirements demanding betting shops remove chairs and switch …
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The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has called for ministers to guarantee the reopening of UK casinos in July to avoid industry job losses. BGC CEO Michael Dugher re-emphasised that UK casinos had undertaken all necessary steps to ensure that venues are ‘covid proof’ and able to reopen safely in July, with the majority of UK leisure and hospitality businesses. …
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Scottish bookmakers have slammed Holyrood’s decision to reopen betting shops without chairs or live racing, stating that the ruling is ‘crazy’ and a ‘slap in the face’ for bookies which have most likely been struggling during the lockdown period. Scotland’s 900 betting shops – employing around 4,500 people – have been closed since March as part of the national effort …
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UK Casinos have been excluded from the government’s list of leisure and hospitality venues that will be allowed to reopen for business on 4 July. In the House of Commons this afternoon, Boris Johnson announced a series of final lockdown easing measures for businesses across England, in which pubs, restaurants, cinemas and hairdressers will be allowed to reopen providing they …
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Scottish betting shops have been given the green light to reopen on 29 June, but will only offer a transactional service. Under the government’s next phase for lifting COVID-19 restrictions, the Scottish government will prevent betting shops from showing live races, while there will also be a ban on seating within the shops to discourage people from gathering. In a …
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