Since March 2020, casinos around the United States have been dealing with shutdowns and limited capacity restrictions. In Las Vegas, the entire economy was hit hard due to the reliance on the tourism industry to survive. Tens of thousands of people lost their jobs, and many remain out of work. As the months went by, casinos in Sin City offered limited services at lower capacities. The percentage continues to climb, and it looks like the gambling industry might be fully operational by this June.
Governor Steve Sisolak announced this week that a reopening target has been set for June 1 at 100%. This is a statewide target and one that the casinos look to reach. In the press conference, Sisolak said that he is confident that every county in Nevada will be at 100% capacity in June.
For the gaming industry, the Nevada Gaming Control Board oversees the regulations and how the venues operate. The governor said that he knows the Board wants services to return to normal and they have worked hard with casino owners, leaders in the community, and employee unions to provide vaccination sites within the gaming venues.
In early April, the Board provided a recommendation that casino requests for increased capacity on the gaming floor is connected to the vaccination numbers among employees. During the meeting, the governor did not state if the Board will approve the casinos to be back at 100% capacity. However, it is expected.
While the state plans to be back at 100%, Governor Sisolak said that masks will still be a requirement. The governor is hopeful that as many people as possible will get the vaccine as soon as possible. Masks and vaccinations are the best way to prevent a new spike in positive cases according to Sisolak.
The state will stop social distancing mandates in May. However, social distancing measures will stay and country officials will be in charge of regulations.
About the Author
