All of the resorts and casinos in the state of Nevada remain closed at this point, but that could change over the next few weeks. The Nevada Gaming Commission announced on Thursday that they had approved the reopening plans that had been submitted to them.
The Nevada Gaming Commission met on Thursday, and they unanimously agreed to the policies that were put in place in terms of reopening. Advocates for the safety of both customers and workers are demanding that the Gaming Commission ensure that more safeguards are put into place.
Even though the policies have been approved by the Nevada Gaming Commission, each casino must still complete and submit their own reopening plan before they are allowed to open their doors.
There were several residents that voiced their complaints or concerns to the Nevada Gaming Commission during the meeting on Thursday night. The safety of workers and customers was at the forefront of these comments.
The Nevada Gaming Commission thanked everyone who submitted a public comment during the meeting, but still went ahead and voted in favor of the plans. The commission pointed out that each casino will likely take additional steps to promote safety.
One of the most prominent letters that was submitted to the Nevada Gaming Commission was from Alan Feldman, who used to be an executive at MGM Resorts International. He expressed his concerns that problem gambling was not addressed in the new policies, and he feels it should be included.
Feldman suggests that many people have lost their jobs and income due to the coronavirus pandemic, and gambling could become a problem for some people. The Nevada Gaming Commission does have policies in place to offer help and support, but no new policies were included.
Feldman also got support from Carol O’Hare, who suggests that the commission should review their current policy on problem gambling, as people who gamble excessively are now more vulnerable than ever. Feldman is the executive director of the Nevada Council on Problem Gambling.
O’Hare wants casinos to send out messages promoting responsible gambling when they are reopened for business. Feldman is hoping that many people don’t try and use gambling as a way to get back all that they have lost during the pandemic.
Smoking Ban?
Smoking was another big issue that was raised at the Nevada Gaming Commission meeting. There was plenty of support to ban smoking at all of the casinos and resorts.
People who smoke are at a higher risk of experiencing complications from the coronavirus, according to health officials. Residents also warned that customers would have to remove their masks while smoking, which can lead to a higher risk of transmission between guests.
Leaders of the Culinary Union also expressed their concern over several issues that were included in the policy, with most of the issues being about employee safety. The Culinary Union has been battling with casinos and resorts over the last few weeks to get their employees paid.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board was the organization that came up with these policies, and they were happy that they were approved. The Gaming Control Board was quick to point out that several casinos have already submitted their plans, and they included many more safeguards.
All of the policies are subject to change, and they could be changed several times over the next few weeks. Casinos must work with state and local health organizations before they are allowed to reopen. Governor Steve Sisolak will have the ultimate decision on when casinos will be allowed to reopen.
