Casino operator closing 10 gaming facilities in B.C. amid pandemic

A large number of the suspicious transactions detailed in B.C. government reports took place at the River Rock Casino in Richmond. April 9, 2014. (CTV)

Vancouver — March 16 update: BCLC announced the closure of all of its casinos, bingo halls and gaming centres

A casino operator with 10 gaming facilities in British Columbia says it will suspend operations at all of them at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday.

Great Canadian Gaming Corporation says it is closing its facilities "in conjunction with BCLC" because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

"While there have been no cases of COVID-19 reported at Great Canadian Gaming Corporation, this measure has been deemed to be in the best interests of the public's health and the ongoing efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19," the company said in a statement on its website Sunday evening.

GCGC operates facilities in B.C., Ontario and Atlantic Canada. In B.C., it is the operator of several locations in the Lower Mainland, including Hastings Racecourse in Vancouver and River Rock Casino in Richmond. It also operates three facilities on Vancouver Island: Elements Casino Victoria, Casino Nanaimo and Bingo Esquimalt.

As of 8 p.m. Sunday, a statement on BCLC's website did not indicate an intention to close any other casinos in the province, saying only: "This is an evolving situation that together with our casino operators we continue to monitor closely."