This week’s casino news starts off with more bad headlines for the casinos in Macau. With the Coronavirus spreading in the area, the Las Vegas of the East might get hit hard in terms of their bottom line until a cure is found.
Coronavirus Threatens Casino Operations In Macau
It’s been a rough year for casinos in Macau. First, the Hong Kong protests have taken a bite out of their action and now the Coronavirus is impacting business.
The death toll caused by the Coronavirus has already exceeded 100 with estimates of the number of people that have been exposed to the bug now well into the millions. With no cure available at the moment right now and the entire world on alert, China is taking every possible to step to keep the virus from spreading any more than it has already to this point.
According to authorities in the Macau region, the casinos in the area could be shut down in an effort to curb the spread of the virus in the area. Macau authorities and casinos were completely unprepared for a situation of this magnitude and as you can imagine, casinos and gaming floors are a great place for this type of virus to spread. Now, they find themselves working around the clock to figure out a solution.
A big issue is that the celebrations of the Chinese New Year were expected but they have already cancelled as the country braces for the full impact of the strain. Transportation in the area has been completely shut down, including train stations and airports. Considering the timing, there is no doubt that Coronavirus will have a major impact on the bottom line for Macau casinos as this represents one of the busiest periods of the year for them.
Casino Fans Accidentally Sent To Wildlife Reserve By Navigation App
We haven’t heard too many recent stories of GPS leading people astray as the technology has improved quite a bit over the last decade. However, a group of people trying to visit the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City found themselves in the wrong destination after blindly following and trusting GPS.
According to the Jackson Police Department, the WAZE app directed gamblers 45 minutes away from the casino to a local wildlife reserve based on a glitch in the program. The worst part is that the reserve includes unpaved roads across 12,000 acres of land, leaving the app users completely clueless as to where they were, how they ended up there and how long it would take to get back.
The casino had some fun with the issue with an Instagram post making light of the situation. For those that travelled 45 minutes in the wrong direction and then all the way back just to play in the casino, it might not be much of a laughing matter at all.
Brawl In Encore Boston Harbor Casino Leads To Criminal Charges
Four men have been charged following a brawl that broke out at the Encore Boston Harbor back in October. According to authorities, a 27-year-old man accused of punching a stranger in the face and then stomping on his head in an elevator is one of the men charged. The list of charges includes assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon.
Video surveillance of the event showed the entire incident, leading to a quick investigation and charges being laid. While this incident is a reminder that anything can happen anywhere, casinos are usually known for being safe and well secured.