Nevada regulators update guidelines for reopening casinos

Some of the properties scheduled to reopen their doors on June 4 in Las Vegas include those operated by gambling giants Wynn Resorts, MGM Resorts, and Boyd Gaming.

2020-05-28

United States

Reading time 1:42 min

Under the amended policies, resort hotels have been ordered to provide a designated area where hotel guests may be tested for COVID-19 and await their test results, and licensees have been required to have face coverings available for patrons and guests, and encourage them to wear face coverings while in public places on the property.

As some Las Vegas properties gear up for reopening on June 4, the Nevada Gaming Control Board issue on Wednesday an industry note amending the "Health and Safety Policies for the Resumption of Gaming Operations" with five key updates, which include requiring casinos to have face coverings available for patrons and guests, and ordering resort hotels to provide for temperature screening for its hotel guests upon arrival.

Casinos and resorts in Nevada have been closed since March 18 in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports. Some of the properties scheduled to reopen their doors on June 4 include those operated by gambling giants Wynn Resorts, MGM Resorts, and Boyd Gaming.

The updates, released early Wednesday afternoon, incorporate policies discussed Tuesday when the board conducted a workshop meeting with seven health care professionals.

The key updates to the notice sent on May 1 are as follows:

Licensees may submit alternative options for health and safety measures for table games for
approval by the Board.
Plans must include responsible gaming measures.
Licensees must have face coverings available for patrons and guests, and encourage patrons
and guests to wear face coverings while in public places on property.
Resort hotels must provide for temperature screening for its hotel guests upon arrival or ensure a medical professional is on-site at the property, and require hotel guests to complete a symptom self-assessment upon check-in.
Resort hotels must also provide a designated area where hotel guests may be tested for COVID-19 and await their test results.

When the policy was released, some companies had to scramble to update their health and safety plans to incorporate some of the changes ordered.

At Tuesday’s meeting, regulators detailed that the temperature threshold for tested guests is 100.4 degrees. Guests who have a temperature higher than that can be retested in 15 minutes. If they fail again, they’ll be asked to go to the secondary screening area.

Medical professionals will then monitor basic vital signs, followed by consultation with a telehealth provider, a lab sample collection if recommended by the provider, and a transfer if medically needed.