Published: April 23, 2020

Nevada gaming regulators outline steps for reopening casinos

CLICK HERE   to read the Procedures for Reopening casinos after Temporary Closure Due to COVID-19  from the Nevada Gaming Control Board

In anticipation of reopening Nevada casinos, state gaming regulators issued a six-page memo outlining steps to resuscitate an industry shuttered amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“A safe, thoughtful, and efficient resumption of gaming operations in this state will help both Nevada and its residents recover from this pandemic,” said Sandra Douglass Morgan, chairwoman of the state Gaming Control Board.

The policy memo, issued Tuesday, does not set a date for reopening but is meant to “assist licensees preparing to reopen on a timeline consistent with the governor’s directive and future directives from the board,” a statement said.

Gov. Steve Sisolak in mid-March ordered all casinos and other nonessential businesses closed for 30 days, later extending the shutdown until at least April 30.

Sisolak said Tuesday he would rely on health experts to tell him when it’s safe to allow casinos to reopen.

The Gaming Control Board’s memo says casinos must submit a plan at least seven days before reopening, or as soon as possible thereafter.

The plan must, among other things, identify gaming, entertainment and nightclub areas that will be reopened and which will remain temporarily closed.

Nightclubs under the board’s authority can reopen “in compliance with any directive or guidance issued by the governor’s office and state and local health officials,” the memo notes.

Much of the18-point document focuses on technical aspects of resuming operations, such as cash-on-hand bankroll requirements, surveillance standards and employee licensing issues.

Casinos must also take steps to redeem gaming vouchers and betting tickets that expired during the closure or extend the expiration dates to accommodate the period the property was closed, according to the memo.

The board extended redemption period requirements to 30 days after the governor authorizes reopening gaming operations, the memo notes.

Likewise, casinos must reconcile player tracking point balances for the time of the closure to reopening, the memo said.

There have been more than 3,200 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 150 virus-related deaths in Clark County.

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