Union urges B.C. to reopen casinos amid COVID-19 pandemic The BCLC declined an on-camera interview, but issued a statement explaining the edict.The machines must be left on, it said, to “support the long term functionality and integrity of the devices and systems and required system upgrades.”Sources in the casino sector say a large-scale shutdown could, in fact, create hardware and software problems on the devices.[ Sign up for our Health IQ newsletter for the latest coronavirus updates ]But the BC Gaming Industry Association also says it never expected the shutdown to last this long.“We (believed) that the requirement to leave the equipment and systems powered on was based on a belief that the closure would not last for an extended.