The Government’s regulatory arm for betting and gaming in Jamaica, the Betting, Gaming & Lotteries Commission (BGLC), is retracting a statement issued on Tuesday that all Off Track Betting parlours (OTBs), along with gaming lounges, are to be closed with immediate effect.

“OTBs must comply and enforce social distancing guidelines and are permitted to remain open in support of scheduled horse racing meets,” the BGLC said in a release issued to the media yesterday.

“The OTBs are required to observe all social distancing guidelines and ensure that no more than 20 persons are accommodated in the venues at any time.

“This is a reversal of an earlier advisory regarding closure of gambling establishments and provides an exception to enable OTBs to remain open.”

This, in effect, means that racing can take place at Caymanas Park over the upcoming weekend if the local promoting company wishes to do so.

All other gambling establishments such as gaming lounges and bars with gambling machines are to remain closed for the next seven days.

Chairman of the BGLC Clovis Metcalfe in responding to questions from this newspaper as to why there was a reversal of the original order, said it was a matter of misunderstanding.

“Reversal of the first advisory submitted yesterday [Tuesday] by the BGLC was due to a misinterpretation of the prime minister’s [Andrew Holness] mandate as at no time did the prime minister state a closure of the Off Track Betting parlours.

“One needs to understand that racing is not like any other sport as the horses need daily care of food and water and grooming and cannot be left abandoned,” Metcalfe said.

Continuing, the BGLC chairman said that a meeting of the stakeholders in racing is planned for today and that “crowd control at these OTBs would be paramount in these discussions”.