Nevada Governor Cautions Casino Masks May Become Mandatory

As new cases of COVID-19 are being reported in Nevada, Gov. Steve Sisolak has said that casino patrons won’t be obliged to wear masks, but this is both recommended and might become a prerequisite for entering a casino floor if cases continue to mount.

Casinos Patrons Still Not Obliged to Wear Masks

In trying to balance between consumer expectations and healthy standards, Gov. Steve Sisolak has said that he won’t order casinos to force patrons into wearing masks unless they want to. The recommendation that all patrons should wear protective gear while on the gambling floors remains, though.

With casinos beginning to reopen and even eateries and buffets returning, the Silver States is preparing to see a better month of June, following 78 days of lockdown. Addressing the issue of wearing masks, Gov. Sisolak argued that “for now, we’ll pursue this on a voluntary basis.”

However, he did mention that casinos and gambling firms in the state are going out of their way to ensure that customers may have access to masks. The measure was introduced by the Nevada Gaming Control Board with the regulator obliging all casinos to provide patrons with face masks and encourage them to wear them.

However, the NGCB Sandra Douglass Morgan has argued that should COVID-19 cases continue to mount in Nevada, this policy may as well change, making it voluntary for patrons to wear masks. More cases have been reported in Nevada, Arizona and Utah just recently, and Californians have been trickling into the state.

Gov. Sisolak once again outlined a cautionary approach, arguing that enclosed places such as casinos could benefit a lot from having patrons wear masks, as one of the main deterrents to the novel coronavirus. Sisolak appealed to casino-goers, reminding everyone of the dangers of the infection.

“I’m encouraging people to voluntarily wear masks. We’re not in a post-COVID era. We’re in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re right dead smack in the middle of it.”

Not Everyone Is Happy with Wearing Masks

With the casino industry restarting on June 4, casinos have seen a good inflow of patrons, with more properties restarting operations. However, patrons have been opting out of the mask-wearing option.

Even in Caesars Entertainment properties, where wearing masks while playing table games is mandatory, patrons have not complied with the measure, removing protective gear on a whim. Addressing non-compliance, Morgan argued that the measures were designed with the help of health authorities to ensure that contraction rates follow.

She further added that if evidence of a second wave surfaces, she would impose stricter protective gear rules to ensure that the health system isn’t overburdened. Meanwhile, the local authorities have reasons to worry.

There has been an increase in the numbers of COVID-19 infected residents with more confirmed hospitalizations underway. According to the Nevada Hospital Association, the Silver State is still in a plateau, with 372 confirmed cases and almost as many suspected ones.

With the risks of COIVD-19 still hanging over the casino industry as a Damocles’ sword, more properties are planning to restart operations in July. Most casinos have been limited to 50% operational capacity, with the majority of amenities suspended.

Summing up what the future of Nevada held, Gov. Sisolak said that businesses can only stay open as long as everyone was safe. That would depend on ordinary people’s willingness to comply with state-issued safety measures.