In Vietnam and boutique casino operator, Donaco International Limited, has reportedly announced that it will be extending the temporary closure of its Aristo International Hotel until at least the end of next week.

According to a report from GGRAsia, the Sydney-listed firm used an official filing to detail that the gambling-friendly facility was shuttered for an initial 15-day period from April 1 as part of measures designed to help stop the local spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Introduced by Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, this lockdown purportedly also encompassed the complete closure of all non-essential businesses as well as a public ban on gatherings of more than two people.

Diminished danger:

However, GGRAsia reported that Phuc recently suggested that he may use a Wednesday meeting to ease some of these social distancing restrictions, which furthermore include a request that citizens stay at home for all but essential travel, as the ‘risk levels’ associated with coronavirus infections has recently partially subsided.

Prioritizing protection:

Despite Phuc’s allusion and the fact that Vietnam has yet to officially record any deaths from coronavirus, Donaco International Limited reportedly explained that it intends to keep the 300-room Aristo International Hotel shut for at least another seven days. The firm purportedly declared that prematurely re-opening the property located in the northern city of Lao Cai ‘poses a risk to the health and safety of staff and visitors’ that could result in ‘adverse long-term consequences’.

Costly closures:

The casino operator reportedly used the filing to moreover pronounce that its gambling-friendly Star Vegas Resort and Club in the Cambodian border town of Poipet is to remain similarly mothballed after being shuttered for identical reason at the end of March. It purportedly divulged that these closures were costing it up to $900,000 a month but that it still possesses sufficient cash reserves to see it through the rest of the year.

Reportedly read the filing (pdf) from Donaco International Limited…

“As stated in the announcement, the closure of both casino operations will have a material impact on Donaco International Limited’s business. However, Donaco International Limited is successfully undertaking pragmatic measures to reduce costs, which will mitigate this impact to an extent. The board and management will continue to proactively monitor developments in the rapidly changing coronavirus situation and swiftly provide further updates in due course.”