SkyCity Loses $1 Million in Profit Daily Due to Lockdown

In 2020, New Zealand took the most stringent measures – immediately after the coronavirus pandemic began in the world. The country’s authorities even went to the closure of the borders, and for a long time, it seemed to work. But this summer, something went wrong – now New Zealanders are infected with COVID-19 more often than all Chinese combined, and statistics show a serious increase. As for a country with a small population. In this regard, from August 17, the country switched to level 4, which assumes that bars, restaurants, cafes, and casinos will be closed completely, and hotels – partially.

One of the biggest companies affected by this decision is SkyCity Entertainment. In New Zealand, it owns three major properties in Auckland, Hamilton, and Queenstown, all of which provide both casino and accommodation services. Given that New Zealanders are rightly regarded as one of the most gaming nations in the world, the operator claims a loss of $ 1 million in profit every day. The business has been going well since July 1 (this is the date that is considered the start of the local financial year), but closed casinos do not bring profit.

The online casino SkyCity, registered in Malta, provides some protection against income drawdown. Severe isolation forced gambling New Zealanders to rush in search of their luck on the Internet and start setting records. The company estimates the number of its online customers in the country at about 45 thousand people. Over the past year, online casinos brought in just over $ 9 million before tax, which, of course, is not comparable to the daily loss of millions from a lockdown. In this regard, the operator does not predict its own success for the next year.