Casinos in Nevada must limit the number of players in their facilities and at gaming tables in order to prevent transmission of novel coronavirus (Covid-19) when they reopen following a statewide lockdown.
In order to open, casinos must create and put into place a plan to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and other infectious diseases at their facilities.
For casinos, occupancy limits will be halved in order to increase the distance between players and slow the spread of the virus.
“Licensees’ plans should detail how compliance with this occupancy limit reduction will be achieved, which may include, without limitation, head counts by security personnel, utilization of a licensee’s existing surveillance systems and making use of a licensee’s slot accounting system to aid in monitoring the number of patrons on the casino floor,” the Nevada Gaming Control Board said.
Player limits will be set for table games at three players per blackjack table, six players per craps table, four players per roulette table, and four players per poker table.
In addition, licensees must “ensure that the floor plan for gaming machines creates proper social distancing between patrons.”
Specific guidelines to follow were not provided, but the Gaming Control Board did suggest removing chairs at every other machine in order to create spacing.
Restricted licencees – businesses whose primary source of revenue is not gaming but who are permitted to offer gaming machines – must offer similar spacing at their own gaming machines. These venues must also operate at a maximum of 50% capacity.
Casinos’ plans must also include details of how gaming machines and tables may be sanitized. Casinos must also ensure that people do not congregate in groups throughout their facilities and that distance must be observed in queues.
Currently, Nevada governor Steve Sisolak’s stay-at-home order lasts until 15 May, but may be extended.
The directive states that gaming operations “shall remain closed until the Gaming Control Board determines that operations may safely resume.”