This Week in Gambling

Players visiting Sin City certainly don’t want to hear this, but the powers that be at the Nevada Gaming Control Board now say Las Vegas face masks must be worn at certain games that do not separate players with plexiglass. Bummer. The order comes down as Nevada has seen an explosion of new Coronavirus cases, and it adds to the existing health and safety policies for all relevant venues. It is no longer a matter of choice for guests given the proved effectiveness of masks. So, if you choose not to wear a mask it may be better to stay…

Fears that Coronavirus would run ramped after a Las Vegas reopen seem to have been warranted and the state of Nevada has now experienced their largest one day jump in new infections. There were 379 new cases of the virus in the state, and 342 of those cases were from Clark County where Vegas is located. The virus is known to have an incubation period of approximately two weeks, and this new surge in cases hit almost exactly two weeks since the June 4th reopening of Sin City. Nevada now joins a growing list of states setting single-day records for…

The New Jersey Senate has voted to provide interest-free loans to Atlantic City casinos that made their required payments in lieu of taxes during the Coronavirus pandemic. State casinos have been closed since March to slow the spread of COVID-19 in New Jersey. Governor Phil Murphy has said he hopes to allow them to reopen by July 4th. The legislation permanently expands the tax deductions casinos can take for promotional gaming credits and reduces the tax liability for one year on gross revenue if a casino suffered revenue losses on its brick-and-mortar operations during the pandemic. Casinos also would be…

Wanna play some blackjack? Better call ahead! The Sahara Las Vegas is now accepting reservations if players want to sit at their table games! According to a news release, the Sahara’s “Take a Seat” program is the first of its kind in Las Vegas. The program will allow players to book tables up to 72 hours in advance. While the program currently offers reservations for blackjack, roulette and baccarat, the Sahara says that additional reservation games will be added in the future. The service supports households traveling together so they can make arrangements to play the same live game, the…

Early bookings will benefit from a free standard ticket to the SiGMA Europe show held in Malta this November as travel restrictions lift across Europe… With restrictions on travel easing, and airports throughout Europe reopening, the events industry is optimistic that the business, entertainment, and tourism sectors will be back on their feet and enjoying new shoots of growth by the end of the year. As a result, SiGMA Group has announced that it is offering free standard tickets, which are valued at €49 for delegates who book a pass to the November show before the 15th of July. Held in Malta…

The Coronavirus outbreak made it feel like a long wait for Las Vegas casinos to open again. But despite a pandemic that is still spreading, the state Gaming Control Board is not reconsidering a requirement for players to wear face masks while at casinos. They only way they would enforce a face mask requirement is if new COVID-19 cases became so bad that they overwhelmed hospitals. Control Board Chairwoman Sandra Morgan said she is not looking to change direction, even as the Southern Nevada Health District’s acting chief health officer issued pleas for business customers to wear masks to protect…