Coronavirus Scotland: Bookies celebrate Scots Gov U-turn on tough Covid-19 betting shop restrictions
SCOTS bookies were last night celebrating a U-turn on their tough Covid restrictions.
Nats ministers announced a ban on gaming machines, chairs and live TV broadcasts in betting shops will be lifted from July 22.
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The dramatic rethink came just days after we revealed industry bosses were warning that extra measures imposed north of the border would force outlets to close and put thousands of jobs at risk.
The Betting and Gaming Council revealed earlier this week that turnover in Scots bookmakers since the sector reopened on June 29 was down 95 per cent compared to a 30 per cent fall in England.
But the BGC hailed yesterday’s Scottish Government move to ease the rules — although hand sanitisers, screens and social distancing measures will still be in place for punters.
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BGC chief executive Michael Dugher said: “This is great news for Scotland’s 900 betting shops and 4,500 staff.
“We said the extra restrictions imposed on betting shops were unnecessary.
“So we are delighted that the Scottish Government has listened and responded.
“Our betting shops can now look forward to playing their part in helping to kick-start the economy, support Scottish racing and provide a safe environment for customers who enjoy a flutter.”
In a letter to Mr Dugher last week, Finance Secretary Kate Forbes warned that bookies could not show live races on telly in their shops amid fears it would encourage punters to cram inside to watch.
She also insisted fixed-odds betting terminals were turned off to prevent virus spreading “through surface transmission”.
And firms were instructed to tell customers to leave after placing wagers — sparking a staggering drop in revenue.
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But betting machines and TVs were allowed when English bookies reopened on June 15 with social distancing and “sneeze screens” in place.
As a result, turnover in Scots shops plummeted. Mr Dugher claimed Holyrood had shown a “complete lack of understanding” of how the industry works.
abbi.garton@ the-sun.co.uk
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