The global gambling industry is facing significant challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Numerous sporting events have been called off to curb the spread of the virus.
The Premier League has suspended all matches until April 3rd. This decision follows the diagnoses of Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and Chelsea player Callum Hudson-Odoi with the virus. The entire Everton squad is also self-isolating after one of their players exhibited potential COVID-19 symptoms.
Initially, the Premier League announced that all weekend fixtures would proceed as scheduled, but they subsequently reversed their decision.
The English Football League, governing the divisions below the Premier League, has also suspended all matches until April 3rd. The FA Cup and Women’s Super League have been similarly postponed. England’s men’s national team’s friendly matches against Italy and Denmark this month have also been canceled.
The top priority is to ensure the swift recuperation of Mikel Arteta and Callum Hudson-Odoi, alongside all individuals impacted by the viral outbreak, stated the Premier League head honcho, Richard Masters.
During these extraordinary times, we are collaborating closely with our teams, the government, the FA and the EFL, and aim to provide assurance to all that the health and well-being of players, staff and supporters is our paramount concern.
UEFA, the governing body of European football, declared today that all Champions League and Europa League contests slated for the upcoming week will be deferred. The draws for the subsequent round of both tournaments have also been postponed until further notice.
Italy’s Serie A has suspended all matches until April 3, while Spain’s La Liga has delayed at least two rounds of fixtures. France’s Ligue 1 has also been put on hold until further notice. The Scottish Football Association has also suspended all professional and amateur football in the nation until further notice.
In Germany, several Bundesliga matches were initially planned to take place behind closed doors this weekend, but the league subsequently postponed all matches until April 2.
Meanwhile, the National Hockey League (NHL) has become the most recent major North American professional sports league to suspend its season due to the pandemic.
The choice was made with the backing of the NHL Players’ Association, signifying that all major North American sports leagues are now on hiatus.
The day before, the National Basketball Association (NBA), Major League Baseball, and Major League Soccer all declared the delay of matches.
The NBA made the decision to halt games following a Utah Jazz athlete’s positive test for the coronavirus. Teams in various significant North American leagues share training and athlete facilities.
Also in the United States, the National Collegiate Athletic Association canceled the 2020 Division I men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, including “March Madness,” and all remaining NCAA winter and spring championships.
In other parts of the world, Formula One has postponed its season-opening Australian Grand Prix in response to requests from drivers and team members. The McLaren team has withdrawn from the race after one of its team members tested positive for the coronavirus.
Meanwhile, the coronavirus has had an effect on regional gambling markets worldwide, particularly in Italy, where a lockdown has resulted in the closure of retail betting facilities.
This week, Newgioco cautioned that the closure of its stores in the country could affect revenue, while Playtech also confirmed that it has temporarily closed all of its Snaitech stores in compliance with the government-ordered lockdown.
In other locations, Holland Casino has closed all its branches in the Netherlands, at least until March 31.
At the stroke of midnight yesterday, fourteen gambling establishments in Amsterdam, Utrecht, Rotterdam, Scheveningen, Zandvoort, Groningen, Leeuwarden, Breda, Nijmegen, Enschede, Valkenburg, Eindhoven, and Venlo have shut their doors.
Belgium will also be shutting down all of its gambling houses, gaming halls, cafes with slot machines, and betting shops, at least until the fourth of April.
In the United States, Boyd Gaming has closed its Valley Forge Casino Resort after the Governor of Pennsylvania, Tom Wolf, mandated the closure of all public schools, entertainment venues, and community centers.
The hotel has not reported any cases, but the casino will be closed until at least the twenty-seventh of March to comply with the governor’s directive.
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