SkyCity Adelaide announces vaccine mandate for staff and visitors

SkyCity Adelaide has become the latest casino venue to introduce a COVID-19 vaccination mandate, with all employees and patrons aged 18 and above required to be fully vaccinated as of February 10.

Inside Asian Gaming reports individuals entering the casino, hotel Eos by SkyCity or any of the property’s bars and restaurants will need to show proof of vaccination or a medical exemption.

SkyCity Australia chief operating officer David Christian said the decision will ensure that SkyCity has in place the highest available levels of protection against COVID-19 for its people and customers.

“As one of Adelaide’s largest single site entertainment venues and a significant employer, we need to take measures to help keep everyone safe,” Christian said.

“While we have existing robust health and safety measures in place to limit the risk of exposure to COVID-19, public health information and research confirms that COVID-19 vaccines provide the best protection for our employees and customers.

“SkyCity has been significantly impacted by the outbreak and we have been encouraging our people to get vaccinated at the earliest opportunity.

“We would like to thank our highly valued employees and customers for their understanding.”

SkyCity Adelaide is currently operating at a limited capacity of one person per four square metres as South Australia, like much of Australia, battles an outbreak of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.

The vaccine mandate will cover all employees, customers, hotel guests, contractors and visitors and comes more than two months after SkyCity Entertainment Group implemented a similar policy at its New Zealand venues.

Australia’s Crown Resorts also announced a vaccine mandate in September.

Compulsory vaccination to enter Crown Resorts venues across Australia

Crown Resorts has confirmed that a strict entry rule will remain in place at its casinos nationwide, even if the government’s coronavirus guidance changes.

All visitors to Crown’s casinos will have to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, regardless of health orders.

The casino giant has confirmed that it will continue a vaccine mandate at its resorts across the country, including Melbourne, even if coronavirus rules are eventually changed to allow unvaccinated punters back through their doors.

The policy will come into effect at its Perth premises from the end of January 2022 and already applies in Melbourne and Sydney.

The company said it made its decision after a month-long consultation with employees, unions and business groups.

Crown Resorts chief executive Steve McCann said his business was duty-bound to stop any potential spread of COVID-19.

“From the start of the pandemic, we have promised our employees that we will always put their health and wellbeing first,” Mr McCann said.

“This policy is consistent with that and consistent with our responsibility to care for not only our employees, but our guests, our partners and our investors’ interests.

“We had overwhelming support for this from our stakeholders and thank them for working with us so constructively.

“The mood has shifted in Australia over the last few months and people are recognising that we all have a part to play.”

Crown Melbourne was recently put under strict conditional operations after it was found to be unfit to keep its casino licence.

The Victorian royal commission into the casino operator and licence found evidence of links to criminal gangs and repeated breaches of money laundering laws and the casino’s contract with the state.

That contract will not be ripped up despite Crown breaching the law, including hiding spurious state tax deductions from the regulator and dudding Victoria out of a potential $200 million in tax.