Casino Closed
Last updated Jan. 12.
- 5, the casino is closed after an employee tested positive for COVID-19. According to a press release, the person is the first employee to test positive at the casino. That assertion is.
- Regulators in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Illinois and Massachusetts ordered casino resorts closed for at least two weeks. Macao was the first location to try the closure strategy.
The uncontrollable spread of COVID-19 has made it very difficult for the US casino industry to function in most states. Across the country, casinos are limiting the number of customers on their floors or are closing their doors to casual and experts bettors in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
NJ online casino gambling remains an option for those unable to leave the house as casinos in New Jersey temporarily close starting Monday, March 16, 2020.
Casinos were particularly hard hit in the spring, when most were forced to shutter. On March 19, the American Gaming Associationissued a release on the crisis. AGA President and CEO Bill Miller said:
With a spike of coronavirus cases in the fall and winter of 2020, casinos are once again being forced to shut down in many states. Most casinos remain open in some respect, but that will likely change.
Though many gamblers will turn to horse betting, online casinos and online poker, our staff at PlayUSA wants to keep you up to date with a list of casino properties that have suspended operations in the wake of this global pandemic.
Alabama casinos
Wind Creek casinos in the state are open with some restrictions.
Arizona casinos
Most Arizona casinos are open subject to general COVID restrictions in the state. Twin Arrows Navajo Casino Resort is currently closed.
Arkansas casinos
Arkansas casinos are open, with some restrictions.
Latest report on Arkansas casinos here.
California casinos
Casino Closed
California is currently under a stay-at-home order and capacity restrictions in most regions. However, most California tribal casinos are currently open with a variety of restrictions that don’t always line up with state guidelines. More on that here.
Colorado casinos
Casinos in Colorado mostly remain open, but some such as Ute Mountain Casino Hotel have opted to close temporarily. Table games are shut down in some other casinos. More on that at PlayColorado.
Connecticut casinos
The state’s two casinos, Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Resort, are both open with restrictions. As of the week of Dec. 1, Foxwoods announced even further restrictions and temporary closing of some hotel areas.
Latest report on casinos in Connecticut here.
Delaware casinos
The three Delaware casinos are currently open with some restrictions
- Delaware Park
- Dover Downs
- Harrington Casino and Raceway
Florida casinos
All of Florida’s casinos are currently open with varying restrictions.
Idaho casinos
Most Idaho casinos remain open.
Illinois casinos
All casinos in Illinois remain closed as of Nov. 20 under an order from Gov. JB Pritzker. Visit PlayIllinois for more updates.
Indiana casinos
Indiana casinos mostly remain open, with some restrictions. Visit PlayIndiana for more updates.
Iowa casinos
All Iowa casinos are currently open, but with restrictions.
More on casinos in Iowa here.
Kansas casinos
Kansas casinos remain open for now.
Kentucky racing
There are no casinos in Kentucky.
Louisiana casinos
Casino Closed In Vegas
Most Louisiana casinos remain open, but at limited capacity.
More information here on casinos in Louisiana.
Maine casinos
Maine casinos are open but must close earlier than usual due to a curfew that has been set by the Governor. The curfew currently does not have a set end date. More on casinos in Maine here.
Maryland casinos
Maryland casinos are open, with restrictions. However, infections in Maryland via casinos have drawn some scrutiny.
Massachusetts casinos
Massachusetts’ three casinos — Plainridge Park, MGM Springfield, and Encore Boston Harbor — are all open, with restrictions. More from PlayMA here.
Michigan casinos
Michigan’s three commercial casinos have reopened after being closed for the second time around.
- MGM Grand
- Greektown Casino
- MotorCity Casino
Some tribal casinos have also closed their doors for now.
Minnesota casinos
Native American tribes with casinos remain open for now, with restrictions. More here.
Mississippi casinos
All 26 of the state’s casinos remain open.
Missouri casinos
Missouri casinos are all open, with varying restrictions.
Montana casinos
Some of Montana’s tribal casinos are closed. There are restrictions that limit capacity in casinos in the state.
Nevada casinos
Casinos in the state and in Las Vegas remain largely open, but at reduced capacity. These include Palazzo, for example, where rooms are closed seven days a week but the casino floor remains open. The Mirage began a full-scale mid-week closures to its hotel, casino and all amenities on Jan. 4. More from PlayNevadahere and more on Las Vegas specifically can be found here.
New Hampshire casinos
There is no word yet on when casinos in New Hampshire will reopen.
New Jersey casinos
Atlantic City casinos continue to stay open, with restrictions. Of course, online casinos in New Jersey, are still running.
New Mexico casinos
Worsening conditions in New Mexico have led to almost all casinos being closed. More here.
New York casinos
All New York casinos, both commercial and tribal, remain open for now.
North Carolina casinos
The only two casinos in North Carolina, Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort and Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino are currently open.
North Dakota casinos
Tribal casinos are generally open in North Dakota, although it is on a case by case basis.
Ohio casinos
Ohio casinos remain open, but are subject to a curfew.
Oklahoma casinos
Almost all Oklahoma casinos are currently open.
Oregon casinos
Most tribal casinos in Oregon remain open, with restrictions. Chinook Winds Casino in Lincoln City is one that has closed temporarily.
Casino Closed Las Vegas
Pennsylvania casinos
PA casinos were allowed to re-open as of Jan. 4 after a short closure period, and most did in fact re-open that day or in subsequent days. River Casino Philadelphia remains closed at least untill Jan. 15. Updates From PlayPennsylvania here.
Rhode Island casinos
The two Rhode Island casinos, Twin River Casino in Lincoln and Tiverton, re-opened on Dec. 21.
South Dakota casinos
Many South Dakota casinos have closed because of worsening COVID cases in the state, but a few remain open.
Texas casinos
Texas casinos are currently open.
Washington casinos
The state’s tribal casinos all remain open with restrictions.
West Virginia casinos
All five of West Virginia’s casinos remain open, with restrictions.
Wisconsin casinos
Tribal casinos are open or closed on a case by case basis. More here.
Wyoming casinos
Wyoming casinos are currently closed.
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf issued an order late Thursday ordering all casinos closed once again until 8:00 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 4, 2021.
The order goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 12.
Also ordered shut were all 40 truck stop video gaming terminallocations. They are shuttered on the same schedule as casinos.
For now, there does not appear to be a plan to shut down horse racing.
Rivers already closed due to orders from Philly Health Department
Rivers Casino Philadelphia already closed on Nov. 20 on orders from the City of Philadelphia.
All casinos were initially ordered closed in March due to the virus. They had a phased reopening after being closed for months.
Casinos newly reordered to close
The newly affected properties are:
- Harrah’s Philadelphia
- Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course
- Lady Luck Nemacolin
- Live! Casino Pittsburgh
- Meadows Casino and Racetrack
- Mohegan Sun Pocono
- Mount Airy Casino Resort
- Parx Casino
- Presque Isle Racetrack and Casino
- Rivers Pittsburgh
- Valley Forge Casino and Resort
- Wind Creek Bethlehem
Live! near Pittsburgh had just debuted, ordered closed
The new Live! Pittsburgh had just opened its doors on Nov. 24. A sister facility, Live! Casino Philadelphia, is under construction with no announced opening date beyond “no later than the end of the first quarter of 2021.”
Gaming officials aiding closure planning
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board announced Thursday that it is assisting in the shutdown procedures.
Executive Director Kevin O’Toole said public health and the safety of patrons, casino employees and others are of paramount importance. O’Toole said:
“The board is continuously monitoring developments and will update licensees and the public as frequently as possible with any new developments.”
The closures do not affect other forms of gaming regulated by the Gaming Control Board offered via the internet, including online casino games, sports betting and daily fantasy contests.
PA Casino response, messages to employees and patrons
Harrah’s Philadelphia put out a memo to team members on Thursday assuring them that they all will continue to earn pay and benefits through the closure period. Pay during the period is based on average wages over the previous eight weeks.
Frank Leone, COO and general manager of Mount Airy Casino Resort, said in a presser that reservations through Jan. 3 can be cancelled without penalty. Patrons can call (877) 682-4791 for additional information. He also said:
Casino Closed Permanently
“Our hearts go out to those who have been affected by this pandemic. We look forward to welcoming everyone back to the property on January 4.”
PA horse tracks still running for now
According to the PA Department of Agriculture press secretary, Shannon Powers, tracks are currently not affected by the closure of casinos.
“Tracks open at this time of year are Parx, Harrah’s Philadelphia, Meadows and Penn National. The Mohegan Sun at Pocono and Presque Isle Downs are normally closed this time of year.”
Other activities ordered stopped or limited
Also, indoor dining will again be prohibited. Outdoor dining, takeout food service and takeout alcohol sales may continue.
Wolf ordered outdoor gatherings and events of more than 50 people to cease.
In-person businesses that serve the public may operate at 50% of maximum capacity — except if limited to a smaller capacity by existing orders.
Wolf, who himself tested positive for the virus but is asymptomatic, also ordered the closure of indoor operations at gyms and fitness facilities and in-person indoor businesses in the entertainment industry. That includes movie theaters, museums, bowling alleys and others.
Sports for K-12 students and in-person extracurricular school activities must cease, but extracurricular activities may continue virtually.
Casino Closed
Spectators cannot attend college sports events. Wolf said the continuation of college sports might continue per federal and state health directives.
The new restrictions were announced the same day a vaccine was approved to immunize people against the virus, though the rollout is still to come.
Previous reopening procedures
COVID-19 Casino Reopening Protocols were part of the previous reopenings. They detailed minimum safety and health-related requirements that are mandatory before reopening.
The key points then were:
Casino Closed Michigan
- Casinos can reopen at 50% capacity.
- Employees and guests must wear masks.
- There are markings on the floor to promote social distancing.
- Mandatory enhanced cleaning is required throughout the facility.
At first, poker rooms were not authorized to operate following the first shutdown due to players’ handling of cards and chips.
Casino Closed Today
But by mid-November, five of the nine live poker rooms in PA had reopened.