US: Preventive measures in casinos amid Coronavirus outbreak

The American Gaming Association (AGA) is paying close attention to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. "Last month, we led a deliberate and inclusive process with AGA members and through close consultation with the Macau and U.S. government made the decision to postpone G2E Asia to July 28-30, 2020. The Macau gaming market plays a vital role in the global gaming industry, and is essential to the interests of U.S. operators and suppliers. We will continue to support efforts as Macau returns to full capacity", said its President and CEO Bill Miller. As the virus then impacted US, he added:  "We are also communicating back to policymakers the steps that our members are taking to ensure employee and customer health and safety." The AGA Sports Betting Executive Summit will continue as planned, March 16-18, at MGM National Harbor. However, the AGA will continue to monitor CDC guidance and travel advisories and will provide any updates as needed.

Massachusetts

Encore Boston Harbor, the Everett hotel and casino has announced it will soon start taking the temperature of people coming through its doors who wxhibit symptoms of illness, both guests and employees. It also said it is increasing cleaning throughout the casino. “We are sanitizing our slot machines, kiosks, ATMs, and all high touch points throughout the gaming floor on an hourly basis,” Encore said. “All of our gaming supplies (eg, chips, dice, cards) are cleaned, refreshed or discarded every 4 hours.”

There will doctors on call for anyone feeling sick. Employees are to stay home “at the first sign of unwellness” and will be provided with access to healthcare.

New Jersey All of the casinos are implementing procedures to try to reduce potential risks. Boardwalk Hall General Manager Jim McDonald told reporters that his staff is working extremely hard to keep the facility clean. The planned Betting on Sports America conference, scheduled for the end of April, was postponed until December due to the outbreak of coronavirus, said SBC Events in a statement Tuesday. The event will be held on Dec. 1-3 at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, New Jersey. Golden Nugget Atlantic City VP and General Manager Tom Pohlman said: “We have taken proactive measures to help minimize customer concerns including, frequently sanitizing surfaces in high-traffic areas, adding hand sanitizers throughout the casino, encouraging good hygiene practices amongst our staff, requiring employees who have traveled to certain areas to stay home for 21 days before returning to work and following all other CDC recommended guidelines." Las Vegas Las Vegas has been stepping up their cleaning efforts after the first case of the coronavirus was reported in southern Nevada. This led several casino operators to increase their disinfectant procedures, including adding hand sanitizers at gaming tables and washing down tables and bars on a more frequent basis.

MGM Resorts International will temporarily close its Las Vegas buffets, effective Sunday. The decision affects buffets at Aria, Bellagio, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, The Mirage, Luxor and Excalibur. A statement announcing the closures said the the changes “will be evaluated on a weekly basis.”

Cirque du Soleil charity Las Vegas Strip show postponed its annual charity production, “One Night For One Drop”. The show was to feature “The Illusionist” magic productions inside for the 1,463-seat Luxor Theater.

Wynn Las Vegas and Encore are changing cancellation policies amid coronavirus scare, including a new sick leave policy for employees and increased staffing at buffet stations. In a Wednesday press release, the company said it would enhance cleaning procedures. Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority CEO Steve Hill told the agency’s board that there has been a drop in revenue as a result of coronavirus concerns but that the authority is prepared to mitigate any effects. Hill says that LVCVA, which markets Las Vegas as a tourism destination, has been involved in conference calls twice a day to discuss the issue and that the organization has “doubled and tripled” cleaning efforts.

“Las Vegas has been a center of hospitality since its name first started to move around the world. It’s known for being a safe place that absolutely offers the most in hospitality and hygiene and caring for guests," said Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman.

The CDC, the agency that works to protect United States health security, has announced that “Social Distancing Measures” may be used by schools, workplaces and other gatherings that can reduce virus transmission by decreasing the frequency and duration of social contact among people of all ages. Up-to-date information is and will be available on cdc.gov.