Buenos Aires Force Casino And Bingo Hall Closures

Owing to an increase in COVID-19 events, casinos and bingo halls in the province of Buenos Aires have been forced to close once more. The new rule affects all gambling establishments in General Pueyrredon, which had been granted an operating exemption earlier this month.

Despite the fact that the interventions extended to all of Argentina’s jurisdictions, some provinces followed their own laws, claiming that their levels of infection were manageable.

Local authorities in General Pueyrredon determined that the gambling establishments in Mar del Plata, as well as the bingo halls in Pinamar, Necochea, Tres Arroyos, Ramallo, and Olavarra, could operate as long as they followed Phase 4 of the reopening procedure.

Unprecedented increase in infections

Due to an unprecedented increase in infections, the government of the Province of Buenos Aires has put General Pueyrredon, as well as the other 45 communes, back in Phase 3 for at least two weeks.

Following the announcement of the steps, Germán Martnez, secretary of the Argentina Gambling Workers Union (Aleara), stated that this setback would affect 800 employees.

Discriminated activity

Martinez told Hora 12 on CNN Radio Argentina, “We haven’t received these news very well because we feel that the activity is once again being discriminated against. There are places and shops that [are operating] under a minimum capacity, but the only one that will be closed is the gambling sector.”

He also mentioned that the union would contact General Pueyrredon Mayor Guillermo Tristán Montenegro to inform him that their locations are compliant with all protocols, and that they will share their thoughts with Argentina’s Chief of Cabinet of Ministers Santiago Cafiero, Governor Axel Kicillof, and Chief of the Cabinet of Ministers of the province of Buenos Aires Carlos Bianco.

Martinez added: “We’ve seen this movie last year and [the closure] won’t be for just 15 days. We were the first to shut down and the last to open. Maybe there’s a study that [authorities] are keeping to themselves that shows that bingo halls are the biggest source of infection, as it’s the only activity that is shut down in the province of Buenos Aires.”