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Casinos of the future, Nevada outlines social distancing plan


Nevada gaming regulators are giving casino operators a glimpse at what re-opening will look like in the form of new guidelines that were released this week. Under the new plan, gamblers will be very spread out and the days of the raucous, jam-packed casino floor will be the thing of the past. But, at the very least, the casinos now have a road map for what post-lockdown life is going to look like.

The vision for casinos of the future came from the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) in the form of a seven-page document that included some details for re-opening (though a re-opening date has not yet been set).

One of the biggest takeaways for the casino industry is that occupancy, in both hotels and casinos, will be limited to 50 percent of capacity. To say that that has ominous undertones for furloughed casino staff is something of an understatement.

Casinos will also be forced to keep slot machine players socially distanced. In particular, the days of sitting next to another player while playing the slots are done. Casinos are free to submit plans for re-designed floor plans but it’s safe to say that at least every other slot machine will be closed. Given the over-sized role slot machines play in generating casino revenue, this is quite significant.

On the table game side, officials are calling for only three players at blackjack tables, six at craps tables, and four at roulette and poker tables. Once again, the impact this will have on casino revenue and staff is significant.

The NGCB also outlined plans for disinfecting public areas on a near constant basis, though swimming pools and nightclubs will remain shuttered.

When the casinos will re-open and how long the social distancing measures will last remain a mystery that will likely only be solved once a corona virus vaccine is developed and distributed. In short, casino operators and employees are going to need the kind of luck that’s normally reserved for their patrons.