In Nevada, for gaming operators to get back to work amidst the coronavirus pandemic, certain criteria must be met. Health and safety guidelines must be followed so that the patrons of casinos as well as employees remain safe. Just this week, it was announced that three gaming operators in Northern Nevada are facing discipline action from the state Gaming Control Board due to violations regarding health and safety policies set by the state.
The Complaints
The Hotel Nevada in Ely as well as the C.O.D. Casino in Minden and the Incline Bowl in Incline Village have been hit with violations. The operators could face fines as well as losing their gaming license for their actions. Agents of the Board were able to find these properties did not meet set requirements and put the health of employees and guests at risk.
The violations include employees not wearing masks as well as patrons. Late last month, a mask mandate was put in place that requires everyone to wear a mask. The Incline Bowl is a bowling center that offers table top slot gaming. Such games were to be shut off when a directive was sent out by the governor in early July. The facility continued to offer the bar top games.
The state is not holding back when it comes to following the mandates set in regards to the coronavirus pandemic. The C.O.D. and Hotel Nevada both are facing penalties for employees and guests seen not wearing masks. At the Hotel Nevada, the general manager of the property was alerted to the issue and customers did not comply with a request to wear a mask.
Several Non-Compliance Cases
Currently, the Control Board is working on several cases across Nevada regarding non-compliance of policies and protocols that have been put in place for health and safety concerns. In total, there are 156 cases under review. The three complaints listed above stem from investigations completed by the board.
Agents of the Board have completed over 10,100 inspections and observations since gaming started back up in early June. The state’s gaming industry had been shut down for 78 days to try and slow the spread of the virus.
In a statement, Sandra Douglass Morgan, the Chairwoman of the Control Board, commented that the Board has never shied away from its duty to regulate license gaming strictly. The same can be said for the governor’s emergency directives involving the virus and the health and safety policies of the Board.
The cases the Board is reviewing will be presented to the Nevada Gaming Commission to ensure that the public health and safety remains a top priority in the gaming industry.
It remains to be seen what will happen to the operators that are currently facing the infractions for breaking the set mandates regarding Covid-19. The action taken by the Board sets a precedence that operators must adhere to guidelines and safety precautions required of them by the state’s gaming regulators if they want to avoid penalties such as fines or potentially losing their gaming operating license.
