Twin River Casino Hotel, Rhode Island state’s largest gaming venue, has returned to 24-hour operations. Its sister-property, the Tiverton Casino, has also resumed regular hours effective Saturday, with table games returning to 24/7 as of Thursday.
The move came just a day after Gov. Gina Raimondo lifted a weeks-long statewide curfew that enhanced coronavirus restrictions and required restaurants and bars to close early.
According to Vice President and General Manager Craig Sculos, the casino is implementing a phased reopening: slots have already returned to around-the-clock operations, but table games won’t be 24/7 until Thursday, NBC 10 NEWS reports. In the meantime, they are open daily until midnight. "Effectively, in the next six to seven days, the whole property will be operating — from a gaming standpoint — 24 hours, 7 days a week," said Sculos.
The casino’s restaurants and bars have also returned to normal hours, including some late-night options, though rules on capacity and masks remain in place, said Sculos. "We’re thankful the administration is now lifting the curfew," he said. "But, that doesn’t mean we’re easing back on safety."
Sculos said players should expect continued body temperature checks, social tracing through a surveillance system, and plexiglass between others at slot and table games.
However, the return to 24/7 operations will actually help improve social distancing efforts, he said. "It gives us a chance to have people come and go in a flow," Sculos explained. "So, it eliminates the lines that you would normally have if you have opened up the doors or closed the doors at a certain time."
The casino’s hotel remains closed and valet service is still stopped. All major entertainment also continues to be postponed and just half of the slot machines are online. According to Sculos, the reopening has meant the recalling of some employees who have been waiting to work.