Like all businesses across the globe, casinos in the state of Nevada have been adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, with revenues decimated due to the enforced closures the casinos have had to endure, as like elsewhere, Nevada tries to get the pandemic under control.
Now under plans to ensure the economy is allowed to remain open and avoid another shutdown, Nevada state governor Steve Sisolak has confirmed that casinos will be allowed to remain open, but under stricter conditions.
During a press conference held on Sunday, Sisolak confirmed that the state’s economy will benefit from avoiding another shutdown, but casinos will only be allowed to operate at a 25% maximum occupancy.
As from 00:01 on Thursday morning, casinos, bars and restaurants will have their occupancy levels reduced from 50% to 25% going forward. Sisolak when making the announcement also confirmed that he had held meetings with most gaming operators in the past 24 hours, to discuss the new measures being put in place.
The news that the occupancy levels will be reduced further, will surely no doubt further hurt the casinos and that of the economy of Las Vegas. Yet until a nationwide vaccination program is rolled out, it appears that these enforced reduced capacity limits are the new norm until a handle on the global pandemic occurs.
In light of this news, Brin Gibson the newly appointed Control Board Chairman, asserted that the new occupancy limits will be strictly enforced, with Gibson also stating: “The more successfully Nevada mitigates the current spread of COVID over the next several weeks, the more likely we are to experience a complete return to current gaming floor occupancy percentages at that point.”
