Casinos Open Today Reno

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  • The COVID-19 pandemic closed all commercial and tribal casino properties in the United States. This map tracks reopening across the country at the property-level. A property is considered open based on gambling availability. Please contact an individual property to determine what amenities are available. Current Status: 82 Closed 915 Open.
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Editor’s note: This article has been updated with the latest information.

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As we approach summer and states start to ease restrictions imposed during the coronavirus pandemic, casinos are betting they can get gamblers back to the tables. New restrictions for dealing with coronavirus concerns will be in play.

Here’s a look at some of the plans to reopen major gambling meccas across the U.S. and the plans that may be in the cards this summer:

In This Post

Las Vegas

Sin City shut down in mid-March, when COVID-19 was declared a pandemic. However, Gov. Steve Sisolak will reopen the state’s casinos on June 4 as long as the trending data regarding coronavirus infections remains consistent.

Ahead of the holiday weekend, I wanted to announce to all Nevadans that I will be holding a press conference on Tuesday, May 26, to discuss the next phase in Nevada’s reopening plan. As long as our data stays consistent, I expect to announce a Phase 2 date for reopening. pic.twitter.com/PzOW3nezWr

— Governor Sisolak (@GovSisolak) May 22, 2020

Read our full guide: A changed Las Vegas prepares to reopen

The shutdown impacted the state’s tourism industry, which directly or indirectly powers one in three jobs in the state. As a result of the quarantine, Nevada has the highest unemployment rate in the nation at 28.2%.

Regulations will limit casinos to 50% occupancy upon reopening, and operators must implement social-distancing and stringent cleaning measures, according to The Wall Street Journal. Many of the largest brands on the Strip, such as MGM Resorts, have stated that they plan to reopen their properties in phases, based on demand.

In order to reopen to 50% under Phase Two protocols, resorts must submit individual safety plans to the Gaming Control Board in addition to attaining current safety protocols. Recently, MGM Resorts released its “Seven-Point Safety Plan” that it will follow when states allow properties to reopen. The plan gives us a glimpse at how dramatically different casinos will look once they reopen. For starters, say goodbye to buffet-style meals and crowded card tables and hello to temperature checks and face masks.

Las Vegas hotels are becoming bookable for this summer in hopes of reopening in June. However, the selections are limited at the moment.

For instance, you can book a night at Caesars Palace from $99 a night in June.

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Arizona

Reno casinos that are closed

Glass shields separate players at Gila River Casino at Wild Horse Pass on the packed reopening day. @reviewjournal#OpenAmerica#gaming#casino#coronaviruspic.twitter.com/e8wH2Nhvlo

— Elizabeth P. Brumley (@EliPagePhoto) May 15, 2020

Arizona’s stay-at-home order expired on Friday May 15, and a few casinos reopened that same day including Gila River’s Lone Butte, Vee Quiva, and Wild Horse Pass casinos, Fort McDowell, and Harrah’s Ak-Chin Pavilion. As you can see from the social media post above, new partitions were installed between gambling ‘stations.’ There are lots of rules patrons are supposed to be following including wearing face masks and maintaining social distancing though it’s unclear how closely those measures are being enforced. Apparently there were lines and big crowds on opening day.

Arizona casinos open Friday with lines to get in. I have a neighbor that is fully prepared to bring his lawn chair out the night before when Vegas opens, like it’s a Black Friday sale. #Vegashttps://t.co/iPmCt1Bnqa

— Bill Krackomberger (@BillKrackman) May 15, 2020

Atlantic City

Based on a promotional email received by The Points Guy himself, Brian Kelly, Atlantic City is planning to reopen to gamblers this summer.

Many Atlantic City hotels such as the Borgata, Hard Rock, Ocean Resort and Harrah’s have opened up bookings starting June 1, 2020. However, the floors will look much different (and emptier) with new guidelines and restrictions. For instance, many restaurants may remain closed and those that are open will likely be operating at significantly reduced capacity. As for shows, no word yet if those will be allowed or if there will be enough demand for them to carry on.

Although some hotels are now bookable starting on June 1, official hard opening dates have not been announced, pending word from New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy. This means that if you make a reservation now and the hotel has not reopened, your reservation will automatically be canceled and refunded.

In the meantime, hotels are offering reduced rates to draw in guests. For instance, you can book a weeknight stay at many of the properties for as low as $63 throughout the summer.

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Weekend pricing is not quite as low, starting at $168 per night.

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Additionally, if you’re a member of any of the casino rewards programs, you may be targeted for a special “welcome back” offer like one Brian Kelly received.

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Lake Tahoe

Caesars Entertainment announced that it would begin to open up many of its properties across the U.S. in phases on its Q1 conference call. Lake Tahoe, where two Caesars resorts are located (on the Nevada side), was one of the destinations mentioned on the call.

Nevada entered into a phased reopening it’s calling the “road to recovery,” but the going is slow.

In preparation, casinos and hotels in Lake Tahoe are offering deals to bring in guests. For instance, you can book a night at Harveys Lake Tahoe from $100 a night in mid-June. It’s not clear how much of the property will be reopened by then.

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Nearby, the state of California is approaching reopening business by region. Currently, counties in northern California will be among the first in the state to reopen, according to Gov. Gavin Newsom. So if you’re headed to Lake Tahoe, just be aware that not all of the areas on the California side will be open.

Reno

Not too far from Lake Tahoe is Reno, Nevada’s second-largest gambling city.

Nevada has begun phase one of reopening, which includes restaurants, many of which are inside casinos. These restaurants will be allowed to reopen under strict new regulations, but the casino floor will remain closed. When casinos do get the green light, however, occupancy will be reduced by 50% and social-distancing rules will be enforced.

Deadwood, South Dakota

Casinos in Deadwood reopened their doors on May 7 after the City Commission voted to reopen the businesses under new federal, state and local protocols to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

According to the American Gaming Association’s COVID-19 Casino Tracker, 11 of the 52 casinos open nationwide are in Deadwood. The other 41 are tribal-owned casinos. So far, local sources are reporting that the reopenings have gone well.

“We were about 15% or 20% higher than a typical weekend business, which is significant,” said Caleb Arceneaux, CEO of Liv Hospitality in an interview with CNBC.

Casinos have also reopened in nearby states like Montana.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Gov. John Bel Edward announced on May 11 that Louisiana casinos would be allowed to open their floors on May 15 at a reduced capacity of 25%. Additionally, new regulations will be enforced by the Gaming Control Board including making sanitation stations available around the casinos, requiring face masks and implementing social-distancing rules.

Although casinos have gotten the green light from the governor, Mayor LaToya Cantrell of New Orleans will not allow casinos to reopen in her city. In fact, Cantrell will be enforcing stricter rules largely aimed at stopping the reopening of major businesses, like Harrah’s Casino, according to The Times-Picayune.

In other parts of the state, however, casinos are going ahead with reopening plans. For instance, L’Auberge Lake Charles announced that it will reopen on May 18 under new guidelines. Some of the changes guests will notice are lowered capacity, reduced gaming and limited restaurant options.

The Gulf Coast of Mississippi

Casinos in Mississippi planned to reopen on May 21. The Mississippi Gaming Commission sent out new regulations that casinos will be required to follow, which include limiting occupancy by 50% and barring certain events and tournaments, like VIP Poker Rooms.

Additionally, casinos will have to limit the points of entry so that guests can be properly screened before entering. Part of the screening will include a questionnaire and patrons will be encouraged to use hand sanitizer and wear masks while on the property. There will also be a limit on number of players allowed at table games and six-foot distancing must be maintained at slot machines.

Currently, the going rate for a night at Harrah’s Gulf Coast is about $125 a night throughout June.

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Bottom line

People are eager to get out of the house. The success of reopened casinos in Deadwood, South Dakota, proves that. However, long-term success will depend on guests and casinos continuing to follow new safety protocols.

It will be a much slower reopening for big cities like Las Vegas, but casino owners are working their way toward making it safer for everyone.

Additional reporting by Clint Henderson.

Featured photo by Toms Auzins/robertharding/Getty Images.

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Northern Nevada is home to a huge number of world-class gambling venues. Unfortunately, most of them have been shut down for the past few months. Reno casinos are now slowly beginning to open up and visitors are now flocking to the city to take part in the festivities.

It’s an exciting time for Nevada. Reno has always been a major gambling hub. Now, things are slowly getting back to normal here. Today, we’re going to look at what visitors here can expect.

Casinos Open Today Reno

Let’s get into it!

Nevada Begins Allowing Casinos to Reopen

Casinos Open Today Reno Nevada

Nevada is home to the biggest gambling industry in the world. Casinos can be found in all parts of the state. Obviously, Las Vegas gets the most attention. This city is known as the gambling and entertainment capital of the country.

In March, Governor Steve Sisolak announced that all casinos in the state were being forced to close their doors. He, and many other health officials, felt that these venues posed a serious risk for major infection spreads. Some casino companies here began losing millions of dollars every single day as a result of these shutdowns.

Everyone knew this couldn’t continue forever. Cities like Las Vegas rely on gambling and tourism revenue. Under the restrictions set in place, this state was losing an unprecedented amount of money and jobs.

Many of the casinos in Nevada were finally given permission to reopen on June 4th. It was a historic moment for the state. Based on several reports, many tourists from around the country were excited to begin visiting these newly-reopened venues.

Most people have been talking about Las Vegas for the past few weeks. Reno, in the north of the state, has also taken a massive blow due to the regulations set in place. This week, several of the casinos in this city opened back up to the public.

Several Reno Casinos Are Now Open to the Public

Reno doesn’t get nearly as much attention as cities like Las Vegas. Many feel that it’s actually better than Las Vegas, though. It’s much quieter, yet a huge number of fantastic casino-resorts are currently operating in this city.

As we just mentioned, several different Reno casinos began opening back up to the public. The Atlantic, for example, recently just opened its doors to the public. John Farahi, CEO of the parent company of The Atlantis, spoke about the difficulties opening back up the public this week.

“A financial issue was something we could have planned for. This is a health issue. This is by far more challenging than our first expansion.”

Reno Casinos That Are Closed

The cleaning system set in place at this hotel is extensive. Guests are also having their temperature checked when entering the casino. Like many Las Vegas venues, The Atlantis also requires social distancing on the casino floor.

More Reno casinos are expected to open their doors over the next few weeks. Most expect the intense safety measures to remain in place here. It remains to be seen how much tourism begins to increase here this summer.

It’s clear that many people are excited to see these casinos reopen. Las Vegas is already seeing a major surge of tourists. More of the casino-resorts here are opening up in this city and revenue is starting to come back.

Is Reno Open Casino

Here’s What People Are Saying About Las Vegas Casinos

It was hugely exciting to see the casinos in Las Vegas open back up. Some, however, expressed fear that these venues wouldn’t have the same fun atmosphere that they did at the beginning of this year. Many of the visitors here are commenting on how things are now in this city.

Many are happy to see that casino companies are focused on safety. Most of the casinos now limit the number of players at tables. Hand sanitizing stations are also located throughout most casino floors.

Bobbi Carlisle was the first guest to check-in at the D Hotel-Casino in Downtown Las Vegas. Carlisle claims the atmosphere is still fun, and she expects to gamble on the casino floor over the weekend.

“It’s just been months of us trying to get here,” She said. “Now we’re here, and we’re so excited. We’re hoping to get a keno machine, and we’ll play there for days.”

Reno Casino News

Things certainly aren’t the same in Las Vegas. The same can be said for the Reno casinos now opened to the public. They are open to guests now, and that’s about as much as we can ask for at this point.

Reno Hotels And Casinos

Stay tuned for more Nevada casino news over the next few weeks!