Nevada’s casino operators have begun preparing health and safety plans in anticipation of a reopening approval from Gov. Steve Sisolak. Wynn Las Vegas was the first to establish such a plan among the state’s casino operators. Las Vegas Sands subsequently released the Venetian Clean plan. The Nevada Gaming Control Board is set to conduct a special hearing on Thursday, where all casino operators will present their updated health and safety strategies.
The Gaming Control Board unveiled the minimum health and safety policy requirements for reinstating gaming operations last week. These are intended to serve as guidelines for casino operators when formulating their plans. The aim is for casinos to reduce personal contact and augment the disinfection level in high-traffic areas.
Getting Started
Before they can reopen, every casino is required to sanitize and disinfect all hard and soft surfaces, following the procedures outlined in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines. For those interested, here is the CDC’s policy on Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Facility.
Casinos are also required to guarantee that their employees are comprehensively trained in the correct cleaning and disinfection procedures, as outlined in the CDC’s guidelines. It’s crucial that all employees grasp how to curb the transmission of infectious diseases. This means they need to understand appropriate social distancing, the right times to wash their hands, and strategies to prevent the spread of germs in the workplace.
New Casino Floor Layouts
Nevada casinos are anticipated to adopt a different operational approach upon reopening, beginning with alterations in the gaming area. Bill Hornbuckle, the acting CEO of MGM Resorts, revealed in an earnings call last week that the company is currently reconfiguring the layout of its casinos for their reopening. Furthermore, MGM Resorts will disclose its health and safety plan in the forthcoming weeks.
Casino operators will be required to adhere to certain rules, such as limiting gaming areas to no more than 50% capacity. The ambiance of table games will change when casinos reopen. Each table game will have its own restrictions on the number of players allowed.
- Blackjack: Table accommodates three (3) players.
- Craps: Table accommodates six (6) players
- Roulette: Table accommodates four (4) players.
- Poker: Each table accommodates four (4) players.
Carnival games like 3 Card Poker and Let It Ride, which have comparable tables to blackjack, should only accommodate three players. This should be affirmed at the hearing on Thursday.
Areas for video poker and slot machines must also comply with not exceeding 50% of capacity. It is advised by the Gaming Control Board that casinos should only place chairs in front of alternate gaming machines to maintain appropriate social distancing. Before closures, some casinos had the ability to disable every other machine to prevent players from sitting next to each other.
Keeping Casinos Clean
Social distancing aids in minimizing the transmission of germs from the mouth. However, it does not contribute to maintaining the hygiene of a casino and its equipment. There are numerous suggested policies for this as well:
- All casino employees and guests should have access to hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes. Certain casinos implemented these stations before they closed.
- The plans should outline the procedures for regularly cleaning and disinfecting gaming machines, devices, and chairs.
- Table game pits require considerable maintenance. The cleaning and disinfection strategy should include regular attention to these items: table games, rails, chairs, dice, card shoes, shufflers, roulette wheels, Pai Gow tiles, pit podiums, blackjack discard holders, and toke boxes. This should be done anytime a new player or employee interacts with the gaming equipment.
- Plans should outline the regular cleaning and disinfecting procedures for the race & sportsbook, along with other gaming areas like Keno, Bingo, etc. Similar to the rest of the casino floor, these areas must also include strategies for social distancing and provision of hand sanitizer or disinfectant wipes for both employees and guests.
- The plans should also outline procedures for disinfecting cards and chips. Regardless of the frequency of disinfection, there will inevitably be instances where humans physically handle the cards and chips.
Ensuring cleanliness in all areas of a casino will greatly boost customer confidence and attract potential clients. This is applicable to all businesses, but it’s especially crucial for casinos due to their size and constant bustle. Given that casinos are large establishments with numerous touchpoints, maintaining impeccable cleanliness is paramount to make returning guests feel at ease.
Non-Gaming Health And Safety Requirements
Maintaining cleanliness in the gaming area is a significant concern for casinos. However, Nevada casinos, which can be vast with multiple venues beyond the gambling area, present an additional challenge. Casino operators must have strategies in place to guarantee the health and safety of guests throughout their properties.
Hornbuckle, during the recent earnings call, stated that MGM Resorts is considering new takeout options for some of its restaurants. This followed the announcement that bars and restaurants will commence operations with limited capacity to maintain social distancing.
Likewise, social distance markers will be required wherever there may be a queue. There must be strategies for managing waits at hotel front desks, players clubs, and concierge desks. All retail outlets will also comply with government protocols.
The casino experience is significantly defined by entertainment. However, upon the initial reopening of casinos, nightclubs and dayclubs will remain closed. Smaller shows are expected to resume before larger ones, but the scheduling for this will be determined at a later date.
Casinos are set to open pools for the summer. The major alteration is that pool seating must be arranged to allow for proper social distancing. This is to be expected.
The Casino Experience Will Be Different
Everyone is eager to know when they can enter a casino again to recreate past enjoyable experiences. However, things will not be exactly the same when casinos in Nevada reopen.
The forthcoming casino experience will resemble the tranquility of 4 am on a Wednesday, rather than the frenzied pandemonium of a Saturday evening. While casino visits can be enjoyable at any time, the experiences can vary significantly.
Going to a casino when it’s not at full capacity can be great. You always have space to eat, drink, and play games. However, the social interaction is significantly reduced. The interactions between guests are often what make a casino visit more memorable.
The paramount consideration in the reopening of casinos and all businesses is customer safety. While the experience may differ, the assurance of health and safety will enable guests to discover a renewed enjoyment of casinos.
