Crown Melbourne casino reopening delayed at least another six weeks

Australian casino operator Crown Resorts is facing fresh challenges after the state of Victoria imposed a new COVID-19 “hard boundary” around the city of Melbourne.

On Tuesday, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced a new six-week lockdown of Melbourne as the state deals with a surge in new COVID-19 infections. The state reported 191 new infections on Tuesday, a total that surpasses anything in the state’s ‘first wave’ of infections.

The lockdown will take effect at 11:59pm on Wednesday and will result in the closure of most non-essential businesses. Individuals are only allowed to leave their homes for four reasons: to shop for food and supplies, health care and caregiving, outdoor exercise and study or work.

The Crown Melbourne casino announced a ‘staged reopening’ of its hotels and restaurants starting May 31 as Victoria began easing its COVID-19 restrictions. But its gaming floor, which was ordered shut in mid-March, remained off-limits as the state prohibited all gaming venues from reopening to the public.