Potential safety measures bring issues for US casinos reopening

The COVID-19 pandemic is expected to bring several changes to US casinos' layout when they are able to reopen, which could still be weeks away. With many decisions yet to be made, potential safety measures being considered in casinos across the country include temperature scans at the door, a half or third of slot machines working, every other table closed, and plexiglass barriers between dealers and customers or separating slot machines.

Wearing masks could be a requirement for dealers and servers in many places. Workers may be standing by to wipe down slot machines, kiosks and even elevator buttons as soon as someone is done touching them. One Las Vegas casino plans to hand out plastic sticks for pressing the buttons.

“It's important to focus on safety; it truly is," said Jim Allen, Hard Rock International Chairman, as reported by the Associated Press. “But I sincerely feel there are those who do not have a clue as to the economic challenge this is creating. The ripple effect of the trillions of dollars in debt we've just put on the United States by printing money is something that we all need to be very focused on."

Hard Rock may require 10 to 15 feet between guests. “Every employee and guest should be wearing a mask,” Allen said.

Wearing masks raises several concerns for the casino operations, as surveillance staff would find it difficult to identify people barred from a casino through a government exclusion list, or those who have placed themselves on a self-exclusion list because of a gambling problem. There could also be a problem with chips, which are handled and swapped back and forth with each game, to make sure they are sanitized quickly enough. Also, if slot machines are arranged to keep gamblers apart, couples that arrive together would not be able to sit next to each other while they play.

Several casino executives in Atlantic City and Las Vegas acknowledged those are among the issues they are grappling with, and they note that state officials could still change the specifics of their plans before any reopening.

Casinos in the Chinese enclave of Macau have reopened, adopting many of the measures U.S. casinos are considering. Business has been slow to return.

New Jersey's Division of Gaming Enforcement, which must give the all-clear before Atlantic City's nine casinos can reopen, said that it “has engaged with the casino industry to develop plans for the safe reopening of Atlantic City’s retail casino operations when authorized by the governor.” In outlining a plan Monday to reopen the state, Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, gave no indication when casinos might reopen.

Wynn Resorts, which has casinos in Las Vegas and Massachusetts, proposed a May 15 phased reopening, then moved it back to Memorial Day weekend starting May 22. Employees would scan each guest upon arrival; anyone with a temperature over 100.4 degrees would be turned back and referred to medical care.

At check-in, each guest would get an amenity bag including a pointer for touching elevator buttons, a bottle of hand sanitizer and a COVID-19 information card. A spray bottle of disinfectant and towels intended for cleaning will be in each guest room. Every other slot machine would be turned off to create space between gamblers, and table games would have a maximum of three chairs.

Las Vegas Sands Corp. has installed plexiglass barriers at its front desk and is hiring companies to deep-clean. Sands, which donated 2 million protective masks to first responders, has begun building a supply for its own employees and guests, spokesman Ron Reese said.