Loto-Québec will be welcoming customers back to Quebec casinos from February 28, the crown corporation has announced.

Gamblers will be allowed back to the Montreal, Charlevoix, and Lac-Leamy casinos and the Quebec City and Trois-Rivières gaming rooms from the final day of the month. The Casino de Mont-Tremblant will follow a few days later on March 3.

This announcement comes after the province confirmed loosened COVID-19 restrictions earlier this month.

Loto-Québec will also reactivate the video lottery terminals in the bars when they reopen and will resume Kinzo operations.

Noting that its top priority is “to ensure that its resumption of operations is as healthy and safe as possible for all employees and customers, in a pleasant and entertaining environment”, Loto-Québec confirmed that major restrictions will be in place, including mandatory proof of vaccination and masks.

Capacity at casinos will be limited to 50 per cent.

Quebec had ordered all casinos to shut down by December 20 amid what was then a surge in Omicron variant COVID0-19 cases.

“The alternation between opening and closing periods has been hard on employee morale, while Loto-Québec has been forced to make temporary layoffs,” said Loto-Québec president and CEO Jean-Francois Bergeron, per CTV News. “You’re already affected by the pandemic, but you’re also affected in terms of your job and your income.”

Loto-Quebec considering crypto in the future

Meanwhile, Bergeron hinted the crown corporation is considering introducing cryptocurrency payments for its consumers.

“It will have to be in the cards for the next few years,” he said. “Because the cryptocurrency, I think it is a lever. Banks are becoming more and more interested in it. Governments are getting more and more interested in it… The payment experience is now part of the thinking that organizations that have to interact with consumers are thinking about and putting a lot of effort into.”