The COVID-19 pandemic is beginning to show signs of ramping back up with a spike in cases occurring in various areas around the globe. This includes Victoria which recently saw a record spike in single-day COVID-19 confirmations.
As a result, Victoria reentered into Stage 3 lockdown effective 11:59 on July 8th. The result of the lockdown means that the Crown Melbourne will be closed for yet another six weeks. The casino has largely been closed since March due to the pandemic.
Victoria Reenters Lockdown
Thanks to a recent spike in positive COVID-19 cases, Victoria will go back into lockdown. Victoria premier Daniel Andrews made the tough decision to reenter lockdown in order to try and prevent a second wave of infections.
The new lockdown will last at least six weeks. During this time, citizens will be required to stay in their homes. Also, state borders will close for the next six weeks.
Officials in Australia have announced a six-week lockdown in Melbourne and the closure of Victoria's border with New South Wales.
It comes after 191 new coronavirus cases were confirmed in the past 24 hours.https://t.co/wEG89MMMcY
— NPR (@NPR) July 7, 2020
This decision came after 191 new cases of COVID-19 were detected on Tuesday. This was the single highest day total since the beginning of the pandemic. It also accounted for all but 8 new cases in all of Australia.
The drastic decision to reenter lockdown came as a result of how the new cases were transmitted. According to reports, Victorian cases are coming from community transmission. This means that it is coming from other citizens that have COVID-19. The other cases detected in Australia came from those in contact with those overseas who are sick.
New South Wales has also taken action as a result of Victoria’s shutdown. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian is closing the Victorian border. She stated that “What is occurring in Victoria has not yet occurred anywhere else in Australia. It is a new part of the pandemic, and as such, it requires a new type of response.
Crown Melbourne to Stay Closed at Least Six Weeks
Not surprisingly, the announcement of a new lockdown has put a hamper on plans to reopen Crown Resorts Melbourne. The casino was going to reopen, but not that will not happen. Restaurants inside the casino were accepting in-person dining as of June 1st. Now, those restaurants will go back to serving carryout or delivery.
Crown quickly announced plans to shut down. The shutdown will last a minimum of six weeks but will likely go longer. According to a statement from Crown Resorts, “Crown’s first priority is the health and safety of its employees, guests, and the community.”
This means that the 400 tables and 2,500 pokie machine casino will sit unused. All casinos were shut down back in March due to the pandemic and some have reopened. Crown Perth reopened on June 27. Casinos in Brisbane, Gold Coast, and Sydney are also now open to the public.
The Melbourne shutdown will hit the company the hardest as it generates the lion’s share of the revenue for the company. Last year, Crown Melbourne generated $1.5 billion of Crown Resorts $3.139 billion in revenue. That’s 68.5% of revenue that’s currently on hold.
This story further supports the need for legal online gambling in Australia. If online gambling was legal, Crown Resorts could take advantage of the 67% increase in online gambling that’s been taking place. They could recoup some of the lost revenue due to the shutdown.
In the meantime, Victorians can still play at Australian online casinos. Casinos like Joka Room and Uptown Pokies offer a wide selection of online table games, online pokies, and live dealer games. It is a fantastic alternative to live gambling. You can stay safe at home and play your favorite casino games until the pandemic concludes.