Governor Orders Nevada Casinos To Close For 30 Days

For the first time in the state’s history, all Nevada casinos are closed and there will be no in-person gambling taking place for at least 30 days in the Silver State.

In a press conference Tuesday night, Gov. Steve Sisolak announced a state of emergency and will force all casinos, restaurants, bars and all other “nonessential” businesses to close for 30 days. The measure was taken in response to the spread of conronavirus throughout the country and in Nevada.

Some casinos had already taken this approach before Sisolak made the announcement.

All MGM and Wynn Resort properties announced temporary closures last weekend, the Cosmopolitan announced a temporary closure on Monday, as did Las Vegas Sands Corp., and all Caesars-owned properties had closed poker rooms, restaurants, nightclubs, and bars.

All other casinos in Nevada were operating normally with slight alterations, mostly to poker rooms, in accordance with CDC recommendations about avoiding large gatherings and implementing social distancing.

At the Orleans, for example, the poker room was running with a cap of five players per table, and the rest of the casino was business as usual. All that changed with Sisolak’s edict and casinos all over the state will close their doors. Most properties in Reno and Northern Nevada operated in a similar fashion before Tuesday’s announcement.

Sisolak said in the press conference that he would evaluate the situation in 30 days and decide at that point if a longer shutdown is necessary.

To comply with the order, all nonessential businesses must be closed by noon on Wednesday. Essential businesses, however, will remain open.

According to the state, essential businesses include, but are not limited to fire and law enforcement agencies, healthcare services, trash collection, home repair services, grocery stores, hardware stores, post offices and shipping outlets, pharmacies, banks, and pet stores.

It is a trend that is slowly picking up momentum and likely to be implemented across the nation. In Detroit, where casinos were previously operating at a reduced capacity, are now closing all three commercial properties until the situation is under control.

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