England is going through a third national lockdown which is forcing gambling establishments to shut down yet again. The rising number of coronavirus cases in the country and the discovery of a new strain of the virus have led to the lockdown. This new series of restrictions could break the back of the country’s gambling industry which is reeling under pressure due to shutdowns and increasingly strict regulations.

All land-based facilities affected

The week started with over 58,000 new reported coronavirus cases. This became the 7^th consecutive ay when more than 50,000 new cases were reported in 24 hours. Due to the new lockdown, all land-based facilities in the country have been shut down yet again. On January 4, Prime Minister Boris Johnson revealed that the country will go under lockdown and released the stay-at-home guidelines. The order is similar to the one issued in March last year, which suggests that people can only leave their house if required and all non-essential businesses will remain closed.

Only essential businesses like pharmacies and supermarkets will be open so people can buy groceries and medication. Religious facilities will also remain open but people will be banned from gathering between households. All pubs, gyms, restaurants, bingo halls, betting shops, and casinos will remain closed. Schools will have to switch to online learning.

Professional sports will continue

While the government is not allowing people to gather socially, even between households, it has surprisingly allowed professional sports to continue unabated throughout the lockdown. The English Premier League and other leading sporting events occurred while most facilities remained shut. This helped the online betting sector continue bringing some cash while land-based facilities suffered.

The majority of operators started reopening in December after a second lockdown was ordered in November. They were previously closed between March and mid-June during the first shutdown ordered. Casinos could not reopen till August. The third lockdown is expected to continue till at least February 15.