Loto-Quebec temporarily lays off 1,350 employees, closes casinos

MONTREAL -- Loto-Quebec is temporarily laying off 1,350 employees in its Montreal and Quebec City casinos due to the second wave of COVID-19.

The layoffs at the Casino de Montreal and the Salon de jeux de Quebec take effect on Oct. 1 at midnight, the same time as new rules come into force for regions that enter the 'red alert' level.

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Bars, casinos, theatres, performance halls and reception halls must close for at least 28 days in these zones.

The Montreal area, as well as almost the entire Quebec City region, are affected.

The Crown corporation is also suspending video lottery terminals (VLTs), network bingo and Kinzo in all regions in the red zone.

Gambling fans will still be able to visit the Casino de Charlevoix, the Casino du Lac-Leamy, the Casino de Mont-Tremblant, the Salon de jeux de Trois-Rivières, the Hilton Lac-Leamy and the Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu.

The Casino de Montreal and at the Salon de jeux de Quebec are expected to remain closed until Oct. 28. 

- This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 29, 2020.