If, many years hence, people look back on the history of the gambling industry, 2020 will understandably have an asterisk beside it to acknowledge the unprecedented force majeure that COVID-19 inflicted on operators around the globe. The pandemic forced some major retrenchments, delayed or halted some initiatives, while accelerating other trends that might have otherwise taken far longer to achieve traction.

Naturally, the first operators to face the COVID crunch were at the retail level, as politicians – with a few notable exceptions, including the mayor of Las Vegas and the primary occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue – realized that the coronavirus couldn’t be bluffed into backing down. Casinos, racetracks and even some lottery retailers were ordered into hibernation for months. (Casinos in some jurisdictions, including British Columbia, remain shut to this day.) 

When gambling venues were finally allowed to reopen, it was with greatly reduced capacity and a raft of expensive add-ons like plexiglass dividers to ensure proper physical distancing. Legions of staff were trained to swoop in with Brillo pads and rubbing alcohol as one player left and another player sought to take their place.   

The added costs of pandemic precaution and reduced capacity to generate revenue resulted in most operators taking a cleaver to their payrolls. Some operators opted to temporarily ‘furlough’ staff while others, realizing their theaters and nightclubs would remain empty for the foreseeable future, chose not to prolong the agony.