Two weeks after casinos were allowed to reopen, Nevada has seen an unprecedented rise in COVID-19 cases, leading to new rules issued by the Nevada Gaming Control Board. On Wednesday, the regulator mandated that all players not separated by perspex glass must wear a mask. It remains to be seen how this will be taken by players, given that many Americans have objected to wearing masks throughout the pandemic. While wearing masks has been optional throughout the reopening phase, and free masks have been provided, stats show that a tiny minority of players have opted to use them.
This new mandate marks a stark departure from the previous one that casinos should “recommend” that players wear masks. It seems that it will no longer be a choice. The new regulations apply to table and card games.
How are Vegas Casinos Coping with New Regulations?
So far, casinos in Las Vegas have tried a few different strategies to cope with the challenges of reopening while a pandemic rages on outside.
- First, casinos in Nevada are only allowed to operate at 50% capacity.
- Second, some casinos have already erected barriers between players and dealers.
- Of course, almost all casinos have provided PPE to dealers and have provided complimentary masks and sanitizers to patrons.
- Some casinos are also taking bookings up to 72 hours in advance for groups of players who wish to play table and card games like blackjack and roulette.
- There are also some limits on players at tables. The current mandate is three per blackjack table, four for roulette, and six for craps.
It’s Still Best to Avoid All the Fuss and Hassle
Many would argue that all of these restrictions take away from the real casino experience, and others, including us, would argue that it’s not wise to visit a casino at all during such dangerous times. Instead, you should consider playing live dealer games at some of our top-rated casino sites. Live casinos like PlayFrank, Mr Green and Dream Vegas offer blackjack, baccarat, roulette, and lots of other casino games with live dealers.
While you won’t feel the cards or dice in your hands, you will be able to play with real casino dealers via high-speed video streams. This experience isn’t quite the same as sitting at the tables in a casino in Vegas, London, or Macau, but it’s much safer in the current climate, and many players never go back to real casinos once they try live games.
Our advice is to stay safe, eliminate the risk of getting the virus, and play live casino games instead.
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