Scottish bookmakers continue to rail against the decision to permit them to reopen after the Covid-19 lockdowns without chairs or live racing. Scotland’s 900 betting shops face strict measures that permit betting only, according to SBC News.
In addition, gaming machines must be turned off as a way to avoid the spread of coronavirus.
John Heaton, chairman of Scotbet, Scotland’s largest independent bookmaker said, “It seems to me that this policy has been devised by someone who has never been in a betting shop. The whole thing is a slap in the face for an industry which has done its bit for the national effort to tackle Covid-19.”
Michael Dugher, chief executive of the U.K. Betting and Gaming Council, said betting shops make a significant contribution to the economy, employing thousands.
“Banning betting shops in Scotland from showing live racing and taking away chairs for punters to sit on suggests a complete lack of understanding of how betting shops operate,” he said. “For many of our customers, a trip to the bookies is something to look forward to after three months in lockdown. And it’s frankly ludicrous that a punter can watch live coverage of a Scottish horse race in a betting shop in Carlisle, but not a few miles over the border in Gretna.”
