After Australia recorded a drop in COVID-19 throughout the country, casinos and poker rooms in different parts of the country have started to reopen. The poker room at the Star Gold Coast was among those that reopened last week, with the venue initially offering cash games.
Indeed, it’s now business as usual at the Queensland casino, with customers now allowed to play face to face at seven-handed tables without plexiglass barriers.
Everyone entering the vicinity is also not required to wear a face mask, though frequent hand-washing and proper hygiene is still encouraged.
Star Gold Coast’s “COVID-free” approach is in contrast to the policies currently in effect at most of the poker venues operating across the world. In the US for example, poker rooms are enforcing mandatory wearing of face masks, and poker tables have plexiglass dividers separating the players and the dealers.
The casino has good reasons for taking the COVID-free route. Australia has managed to significantly bring down the number of COVID-19 infections across the nation after implementing stringent lockdown measures since February, right before the disease went out of control.
It was one of the first countries to ban international flights, preventing non-residents from entering its borders. Aussies were ordered to stay at home, prohibiting non-essential movement and activities. Accordingly, businesses that are considered non-essential were also closed down temporarily.
All of the hard work and strict implementation of safety protocols have finally paid off, and now, there are no coronavirus hotspots in Australia. In Queensland in particular, there are virtually zero cases of COVID-19. For this reason, poker rooms in the state have received the green light to offer seven-handed cash games.
Among those who played at Star Gold Coast’s poker room when it reopened was Australian actress and TV host Lynn Gilmartin, who is best known as the presenter of the World Poker Tour on Fox Sports Networks. On her social media accounts, Gilmartin shared what it currently looks like playing cash games at Star Gold Coast, and she describes the environment as one of the happiest she’s ever been in.
One of the last restrictions to lift in this covid-free state is allowing casino tables to open seven-handed…. Poker is BACK at The Star Gold Coast!!! 🇦🇺🤩🥳 pic.twitter.com/MmX2SOFf0H
— Lynn Gilmartin (@LynnGilmartin) December 11, 2020
While it still remains unclear when tournaments will return to Star Gold Coast, Gilmartin said the WPT is looking forward to bringing back its live events in the country. The Queensland casino has an ongoing partnership with the WPT, and played host to the inaugural WPT Australia in 2019.
The Return of Live Poker
After having been closed for much of 2020, the live poker scene is finally making a comeback, and if COVID-19 vaccine proves successful, everyone can finally return to the live felts without restrictions and go back to how things were before the pandemic.
Of course you can avoid all the necessary risks and play online at our pick of the best Australian Poker Rooms right now…
