Feeling lucky? Gaming centres and bingo halls get ready to reopen under new rules
Gaming centres and bingo halls are allowed to open their doors in Step 3 of the province’s Roadmap to Reopening, which has local operators scrambling to put the final touches in place.
President of Community Gaming and Entertainment Tony Rosa says they are will be ready to welcome back patrons at 50 per cent capacity on Friday.
“We’ve got all hands on deck, we’ve been cleaning, organizing, resetting all of our equipment,” says Rosa.
Rosa says when they found out Step 3 would take place five days earlier than expected, his staff went went into overdrive with preparations to ensure all of the COVID-19 protocols are in place.
The company operates four charitable facilities in Windsor and Tecumseh – Breakaway Gaming Centre, Paradise Gaming Centre, Allstar Gaming Centre and Power Play Gaming Centre.
Rosa says they are taking a phased in approach.
Breakaway Gaming Centre
“We’re going to start first with our tap tix rooms and get them going and then look at session based bingo as time goes on,” says Rosa.
He says their indoor bingo games will likely be back in a few weeks.
Other bingo halls, like Riverview Gaming in Chatham are offering indoor bingo Friday after a 16-month hiatus.
“We’re excited to be welcoming some bingo players back into our building on Friday,” says owner Carla Fox. “We’re still kinda working out the logistics with the social distancing and the number of people.”
Community Gaming and Entertainment and Riverview offered modified bingo options for patrons, but have not offered indoor bingo since March, 2020.
Both Rosa and Fox are hopeful they can now be open for good.
“I think it’s nothing but good things to come,” says Rosa. “I think the next step will be a full opening.”
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