BY:Julius Gacheru
The Coronavirus pandemic is proving to be a pain in the neck for all businesses in the world and apparently, the gambling sector has not been spared.
Kenyan casino employees have turned to social media begging President Uhuru Kenyatta to consider reopening their sources of income complaining of the dire financial straits they are facing due to joblessness.
Using hashtag #CasinoMyLivelihood on popular social media platform Twitter, the distraught Kenyans for the past few days continue to plead with the Ministry of Health to let them re-open and promise to observe the MOH guidelines that will be placed.
Kenyan casinos and betting stores have been on a shutdown since March 23rd for an indefinite period as part of the social distancing measures the government instituted to curb spread of the virus. Gaming and betting advertisements on radio and TV were also suspended.
“We make reference to our circular dated March 21, and a statement made by the Cabinet Secretary Ministry of Health on March 22, indicating that coronavirus has continued to affect the world in an unprecedented way,” said Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB), the gambling authority in Kenya director Peter Mbugi in a memo to betting operators.
In view of these developments, you are hereby directed to close down all casinos and betting shops with effect from the date of this circular, until further notice.”
Kenya has been in the recent past frustrating the gaming industry and this is another jab to the economy she is trying to salvage.
