Detroit Casinos Will Reopen Without PokerState Gaming Regulators Will Force Casinos To Keep Poker Rooms Closed At Start Of Reopening Process |
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When Michigan’s three commercial casinos in Detroit reopen, poker won’t be an option for gamblers after the state’s regulators released reopening guidelines for casinos Monday.
According to a report from the Detroit Free Press, casinos will operate at 15 percent of its total capacity, administer temperature checks at entrances, force guests to wear a mask, ensure six-feet of social distancing between gamblers, and keep poker rooms closed. Casinos will also temporarily eliminate smoking on the gambling floor, self-serve buffets, valet service and coat checks.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer implemented some of the strictest lockdown orders of any state in the country in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. She signed an executive order in mid-March that forced casinos to close and has not given a date as to when the casinos will be open for business again.
Michigan Gaming Board Executive Director Richard Kalm said that the guidelines were built from other major regulatory bodies throughout the country.
“In compiling these minimum guidelines, we considered CDC recommendations, Nevada Gaming Board guidelines and information from the National Indian Gaming Commission,” Kalm told the Free Press. “We required the casinos to propose reopening plans, and we consulted with the casino unions on the guidelines.”
The state’s biggest city is home to MGM Grand Detroit, MotorCity Casino and Greektown Casinos. The rest of the state’s casinos are tribal entities and are not subject to state regulations. Some have already reopened.
All around the country, the gambling markets have begun to take bets again, with many Las Vegas casinos opening last Thursday. The policy on poker rooms, however, has varied from state-to-state and even casino to casino.
In Florida, many poker rooms opened at the end of May with short-handed games, but some rooms are already transitioning to nine-handed play.
Las Vegas poker rooms were originally supposed to run four-handed games at the start of the reopening process, but regulators allowed five-handed games to run just a day after casinos opened. The poker room at The Venetian is the only room on the Las Vegas Strip currently operational. The Orleans, South Point and Golden Nugget have also reopened, while larger rooms wait for six-handed play before spreading games.
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