The Macau government has announced that the city’s casinos will be allowed to re-open for business from midnight on 20 February following this month’s unprecedented 15-day shutdown.
At a press conference on Monday afternoon, Secretary for Economy and Finance Lei Wai Nong confirmed that the closure would not be extended beyond the initial 15-day period, although operators have the option to apply for a 30-day extension, which must be submitted within the next two days, should they require more time to prepare.
Operators may also be allowed to reduce operations during the 30-day extension period but all casinos will be required to re-open at the end of the 30 days.
The re-opening comes with some conditions, including a requirement that operators maintain a certain spacing between gaming tables, that staff continue to wear face masks and that temperature checks are carried out on staff and customers,
The government also announced that non-resident workers returning to Macau from the mainland will be quarantined for 14 days before being allowed entry as an ongoing measure aimed at preventing the spread of the Coronavirus.
Residents and tourists will not be required to enter quarantine at this stage, with Lei explaining that the number of tourists arriving from the mainland was expected to be “extremely few.” Entry requirements may, however, be tightened again if deemed necessary. The number of visitors entering Macau from mainland China fell to just 1,400 on Sunday.
Despite the casinos re-opening, analysts have noted there will likely still be a dearth of customers for some time to come.
