Nevada casinos were recently allowed to raise occupancy levels from 25% to 35%… and then to 50%. But if they want to get back to full occupancy, they will need to encourage their employees to get vaccinated. The state Gaming Control Board released a memo recently which encourages casinos in the state to provide paid time off so that workers can receive their Coronavirus vaccination, and to coordinate transportation for them to vaccination sites. That memo also points out that the state’s hospitality workers have a low degree of vaccination penetration, even though some companies have been proactively encourage their…

A year after the Coronavirus restrictions and lock-downs began, New Jersey and Nevada casinos are excited to welcome back half the guests they are usually allowed. First, in New Jersey, Governor Phil Murphy is allowing increased indoor capacity at Atlantic City nine casinos via an Executive Order. They will be allowed to operate at 50% occupancy beginning the morning of March 19th. Meanwhile in Nevada, Governor Steve Sisolak and his “Roadmap to Recovery” will also allow Vegas casinos and others in the state to increase capacity limits 50% occupancy starting today. New Jersey’s neighbor to the north, New York, quickly…

If at first you don’t succeed, try again in a few months! That seems to be where we are with Nevada casinos coronavirus precautions, as the Governor has started to ease some of the casino restrictions in place for a second time. As of today, the occupancy maximum for casinos in the state will grow from 25% to 35%. This will also apply to restaurants and bars. However, not all “Sin City” attractions are being treated equally. Adult entertainment venues, such as nightclubs and brothels, will remain not be allowed to open until May 1st at the earliest as they…

Even as Nevada casinos fight their way back, the President of the Las Vegas Sands believes the economic hardships will continue until a vaccine is developed for COVID-19. In a recent interview, Robert Goldstein told reporters that he believes casinos across the state and in Las Vegas will struggle economically so long as the pandemic lasts. His comments come just two days after the announcement that the biggest technology show in America will be an online and not in Las Vegas, dealing another blow to the Las Vegas economy. “It’s clearly a difficult time for us …. and from my…

Nevada casinos posted profits in fiscal 2016, the first time the industry has been in positive territory since before the Great Recession. This week, the Nevada Gaming Control Board released their annual Nevada Gaming Abstract, which showed the 273 gaming venues that earned more than $1m in revenue in the 12 months ending June 30, 2016 generated a combined income of $979m versus a net loss of $662m in fiscal 2015. Overall revenue at state-licensed gaming venues reached $25.2b, up from $24.6b in fiscal 2015, and only around $100m off the all-time peak of $25.3b in fiscal 2007. Casinos also…

Nevada casinos confiscate around $40k in counterfeit cash every week, according to a new US government study. Last week saw the release of the Treasury Department’s national money laundering risk assessment, which is viewable here (the casino section starts on page 74), although be forewarned that it often reads like a hypochondriac’s database of things that could go wrong. The counterfeit cash claim comes via the Secret Service, who linked the counterfeiters with ‘minimal gaming,’ where gamblers make major cash deposits but cash out for a casino check or a wire transfer after minimal play. The most commonly reported suspicious…