Nevada casinos cleared to decide on their own mask policies

The Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) said Thursday that casinos will be able to decide on their own mask policies.

The regulator issued a resolution to state that its position on requirements for masks inside and outside of gaming floors falls in line with that of Gov. Steve Sisolak and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

They are tied to Directive 045, which formerly mandated mask requirements for all indoor gaming floor areas on local properties, and now incorporated an updated CDC guidance by reference clarifying that fully vaccinated individuals need not wear masks indoors or outdoors in most situations. NGCB says it will not require or keep casinos from asking about a guest’s vaccination status. Casinos may also have mask policies more restrictive than the guidelines set forth by the CDC.

The regulator does encourage properties to keep signs up with CDC guidance for vaccinated and unvaccinated guests. "The Board’s agents will not attempt to confirm vaccination status of patrons. Consequently, unless circumstances change, it is not practical for the Board to attempt to enforce a mask mandate tethered to an individual’s vaccination status," the NGCB stated.

In April, Gov. Steve Sisolak said he expected Nevada’s economy to be fully reopened by June 1, but he made clear the state longstanding mask-wearing mandate would remain in place at least through the end of May. 

Wynn was the first Las Vegas casino to make an official announcement following updated recommendations by the CDC, saying that it is updating its mask policy with fully vaccinated guests no longer required to wear masks.

The change became effective Thursday evening at Wynn and Encore. Guests who are not fully vaccinated are still required to wear one, the company said. The same goes for its employees, as those who have provided vaccination verification no longer need to wear a mask, but those who have not are still required to do so at the resort, the company said.

"The resort trusts guests to take the appropriate precautions based on their personal vaccination status," the company said in a press release.

The Wynn is also one of several Las Vegas properties allowed to operate at 100% capacity and with no social distancing requirements on its casino floor. While most businesses in Clark County are operating at 80% capacity, the Gaming Control Board has approved capacity waivers for Wynn Resorts, Caesars Entertainment, MGM Resorts, Boyd Gaming, Station Casinos and the Strat.

That approval is based on employee vaccination efforts, the board says, and is applicable to the casino floor only.