Billionaire businessman Peter Coates has spoken out about the bumpy road ahead for businesses across the world amid the coronavirus outbreak.
The 82-year-old, who is the co-founder of online gambling giant bet365 and the chairman of Stoke City FC, admits he expects "very difficult times" ahead in business and sport.
Mr Coates and his family have built up Stoke-on-Trent-based bet365 to become one of the leading bookmakers in the world - employing more than 4,000 staff in the Potteries.
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But the sporting blackout will undoubtedly have a massive impact on the betting industry - and the wider business world in general.
In a Mr Coates said: "It will have a huge impact on the entire sector because there are very few markets. We're in for very difficult times.
"Relying on sport as we do - that's become virtually non-existent.
"There are a lot of unknown factors and we just don't know how the trading patterns will change."
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Mr Coates - whose daughter Denise is the world's best-paid businesswoman - added: "It's not just football, the pressure on companies around the country and the world is enormous.
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"We can only think it's going to get worse in the short term. There are no easy solutions.
"At Stoke, we stopped doing a lot of things last week. Community activities, visitors to the ground etc. It has a knock-on effect for all manner of people.
"Caterers will find their income has gone and they employ legions of part-time workers.
"The hospitality industry will be badly hit. Stock markets, you name it, they are all being hit badly. The truth is nobody really knows how it will all pan out."
He concluded: "When you are old like me and you're about to be told you can't go out, it's serious but we all have a great capacity to survive and I'm sure that's what's going to happen.
"It's going to be a bumpy ride and it' s going to be immensely difficult for everyone. I think it's a case of wait and see."