What gambling industry leaders say about the challenge of COVID-19 vaccination
Pandemic. COVID-19. Temporary unemployment. Closed. Opened. These are just a few of the words that have ruined the lives of 45,000 employees in the gambling industry in the past year. Simultaneously, regardless of location, marketing campaigns, or turnover, the entire industry has given up any plan – in a context where no one knows what tomorrow has in store for us. However, in all the uncertainty, there is a light at the end of the thunder: vaccination.
All technical calculations show that vaccinating the 45,000 employees in the industry is not enough to reach the immunization threshold of 70 % of Romania’s population. Instead, everyone becomes an ambassador for vaccination. The connection and trust between employees and customers cannot be denied, whether we are talking about a sports betting room or one with slot machines. The vaccinated employee, who tells his experience to his clients, family, friends, starts a real mobilization, in which myths and fake news are shattered.
“The main objective of this is to talk to our colleagues. Let us explain why it is essential to vaccinate, give them the support and information they need when they are undecided, make the right decision for themselves and their families, and, by implication, for all of us. We are a landmark for them, and we, in turn, are the partners of the authorities. The objective of industry associations to become an example of good practice, both for employers in this sector and the entire economic environment” said Liviu Popovici, President of Romanian Bookmakers.
One reality
45% of the “population” of the Romanian gambling industry is already convinced that vaccination is a good thing, which provides certainty to every person. Still, at the same time, it also means a guarantee for the health of those around them. However, discussions with employees should not be postponed.
“We have all been subject to new challenges. At one point, at least half of our employees have questioned a change in their professional prospects, especially since temporary unemployment is today’s reality. Simultaneously, even we – as an industry, together with the authorities, can contribute to the transmission of clear and simple information such as free vaccinations and the amplitude of clinical trials done on these vaccines. The more we vaccinate, the closer we are to normality, to the reopening of the economy,” says Dan Ghită, President of Rombet.
Customer role
After the entire industry has taken all necessary steps to keep employees close, you become a crucial element in the pandemic’s resilience process.
“Every employee can tell how the pandemic felt on their skin, how hard it was to readjust their expenses. They are real stories, where everyone finds themselves, including customers. We know, and we all have to say further that the vaccine is the solution to the prohibitions we are now facing, to temporary unemployment, income reduction, inability to travel, changing working conditions and the impossibility of working full time,” concludes Sorin Georgescu, President of Romslot.
What gambling industry leaders say about the challenge of COVID-19 vaccination
”We are a landmark for employees and also partners of the authorities. We want to contribute to this vaccination campaign, to provide a safe environment for employees and customers.”
Liviu Popovici,
Romanian Bookmakers President
”An immunized employee tells at home how was this experience, receives questions from the family, from customers. This way, the client has the opportunity to tell what he has heard. We all know and must continue to say that the vaccine is the solution to the bans we face now.”
Sorin Georgescu,
Romslot President
”We have to start from the truth. We have all been faced with challenges. As the number of people who get vaccinate is bigger, the closer we are to normalcy, to the reopening of the economy.”
Dan Alexandru Ghita,
Rombet President