Singapore’s gaming industry in month-long COVID-19 lockdown

Singapore’s entire gaming industry is going into a month-long hibernation as the government tries to minimize further spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last Friday, Singapore’s Ministry of Health announced that it was implementing an elevated set of safe distancing measures as a ‘circuit breaker’ to reduce further coronavirus transmission. Singapore recently reported a surge in new COVID-19 cases, most of which were deemed to be locally transmitted.

The new measures will take effect on Tuesday (7) and will extend at least through May 4. The city-state’s two integrated resort operators – Las Vegas Sands (Marina Bay Sands) and Genting Singapore (Resorts World Sentosa) – shut their gaming floors on Monday.

Sands said it had suspended all “integrated resorts services and operations” while Sentosa said its food services would remain open “for takeaway and deliveries” to ensure “necessary daily living needs of residents.” Both venues are cancelling room reservations booked for the shutdown period, while Sands is closing its hotel and doing its best to rehouse guests.