The alert was launched by the executive president of Ajogos (Angolan Association of Operators of Games of Fortune and Chance, Social Games and Remote Online Games), Valódia Salvador, who regretted the prejudice against casinos and that they are confused with night clubs.
According to the official, this is an important sector for the economy, which had a turnover of more than US $ 21 million until the beginning of the economic crisis and employed about 12 thousand workers, a workforce that was reduced to a quarter already last year.
"At this moment, the sector is practically in bankruptcy and if it lasts we will certainly declare bankruptcy", he said, indicating that at least three of the 14 members of Ajogos, with 250 employees, admitted that they are no longer able to resume business due to highly indebted.
Valodia Salvador said that some operators were able to support expenses and wages until June last year, but since that time most of them have no longer been able to pay wages to around 3000 workers in the sector.
The executive chairman of Ajogos stressed that the workers face great economic difficulties and "go through great problems, generated by anxiety and depression", with several cases of suicide being recorded.
He also lamented that despite several contacts with the authorities and with the multisectoral commission to fight covid-19, to demonstrate that it gathers all the guidelines to work, they did not get answers.
"We have already knocked thousands of doors, we have already met with the multisectoral commission, we saw a light but it continues today at the end of the tunnel", he stressed, stressing that the press conference was held in a casino, where acrylic separators are already installed, for show compliance with the rules that also include a reduction in staff and the number of customers at the gaming tables.
"The casinos are confused with night clubs. But in the casinos there are no dance floors," he added to show that these places are safer than others authorized to function as restaurants, cinemas, mobile homes, churches "where this distance does not exist. ".
"We are aware of the good that life is, but if a balance is not generated on the other side, good life is not safeguarded either", he added, urging the members of the multisectoral commission to visit and inspect the casinos.
João Fernando, member of the board of the Ajogos Assembly said that the operators are "demoralized" with the lack of answers and said that it does not make sense that the casinos cannot function, unlike the social gambling companies (bookmakers), there being also a proliferation of clandestine casinos.
"We do not want to work this way, there are thousands of Chinese casinos that do not comply with the law or respect the rules of biosafety. We want them to tell us whether we can resume our activity or not so as not to continue to raise false hopes", appealed Valódia Salvador .
