In Cyprus and casino operator Melco International Development Limited has reportedly been forced to temporarily shutter its five-strong chain of Cyprus Casinos (C2) ‘satellite’ venues for the remainder of the year owing to the coronavirus pandemic.

According to a report from GGRAsia, the Hong Kong-headquartered firm is responsible for modest casinos in the communities of Nicosia, Paphos, Larnaca, Limassol and Ayia Napa and is additionally in the process of constructing the much larger City of Dreams Mediterranean development in the small village of Tserkezoi. The source detailed that every one of these C2 facilities has now been closed until December 31 after the last two weeks saw the island nation of some 875,000 people experience an over 40% rise in aggregated coronavirus infections to 16,190.

Persistent problem:

Melco International Development Limited, which is the parent of Asian casino giant Melco Resorts and Entertainment Limited, reportedly operates the four C2 properties via the ICR Cyprus Holdings Limited joint venture it established with local conglomerate Cyprus Phassouri (Zakaki) Limited in 2017. These enterprises purportedly offer a combined selection of over 255 slots and 33 gaming tables via an exclusive 30-year license and were previously shuttered for a 13-week period from March 16 owing to the coronavirus pandemic with the C2 Limassol and C2 Paphos establishments also enduring a related 19-day lockdown last month.

Additional actions:

The C2 venues were reportedly ordered to close as part of a government program initiated last Friday that moreover brought in a curfew on all non-essential trips for the eight hours from nine o’clock every evening. This official course has furthermore purportedly involved the tightening of countermeasures for all local hospitality venues, shopping malls and churches as Cyprus recorded 400 new coronavirus infections yesterday alone alongside one related death.