Casinos in Alberta remain open despite a restriction on mass gatherings and the shuttering of schools and daycares due to COVID-19.
Other provinces — including Saskatchewan, Ontario and Quebec — have closed their casinos. Officials in Calgary, where a local state of emergency has been called, have questioned why the province hasn’t done the same.
Alberta’s chief medical officer said at her daily update on Monday that there were no plans to close gaming establishments. The provincial government takes in about $1.4 billion annually from casinos and lotteries.
The Alberta Liquor and Gaming Commission, which oversees casinos, says in an emailed statement that it’s taking COVID-19 seriously. “The agency is in contact with all licensed venues and