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Macau Casinos Shut Down to Tackle Recent Outbreak
Macau is one of the most important regions for the casino industry and one of the most prominent areas in China. It’s host to a variety of casinos and is responsible for around 80% of the government’s revenue. The recent outbreak prompted the government to close all the casinos in Macau.
The coronavirus shook the world when it started spreading in 2020. China was hit first and it did all it could to stop the outbreak. The world was hit in all areas and was brought to the brink of collapse. Now it’s 2022 and the outbreak is far from over as the virus keeps mutating.
The recent variant of coronavirus is alive and kicking and China’s government is forced to shut down the Macau casinos. How did it come to this?
The Early Stages
As mentioned before, the coronavirus outbreak hit everyone unexpectedly. China was first on the list and it had to shut down non-essential businesses and keep its citizens under lockdown to stop the rise of the virus. Macau casinos also got closed for 15 days in February 2020, but that was it.
The thing about them is that they employ a large number of Macau’s population which is why they needed to remain open. However, the virus refused to stay still and morphed into newer and more dangerous forms. The current one makes the virus spread faster which is why the government took a new set of measures.
What Does It Mean for Macau?
Non-essential businesses and over 30 casinos were shut down to tackle the new coronavirus outbreak. Casino fans are prohibited to visit their favorite venues and are urged to stay at home. The staff at these venues is kept at a minimal level as the government urges people to work from home.
The venues owned by MGM Resorts, Sands China, SJM Holdings, and others have been closed for a couple of weeks. This is a good step when it comes to tackling the virus, but is it good for the economy?
The thing about the casino industry in Macau is that it keeps a large number of people employed and makes up about 80% of the government’s revenue. The fact that they’re closed at the moment is dealing a huge blow to the economy which will need to recover once the outbreak is over.
Some people haven’t taken the government’s measures well as there have been reports of fights in testing centers. But the thing is that the Macau casino resorts will need to sit one out to help the battle against the recent virus outbreak.
Conclusion
The casinos at Macau make up a huge revenue portion which means they not only employ a large number of people, but they make sure the republic keeps running. The recent outbreak has put a stop to the operation of the casinos and it will take some time before the casinos and the economy recover. In other words, it will need to get worse before it can get better, but Macau will remain a beacon of the casino industry.
