This Week in Gambling

We’ve been waiting for two months, but finally the first steps toward a Las Vegas reopening have taken place. We discuss how many steps there will be ad how long each step may take. Also, what do casino workers think about going back to work after Coronavirus? Plus, a big surprise from our friends an the Department of Justice. Las Vegas casinos reopening took a huge step last week as the Gaming Commission approved guidelines proposed by the Control Board a week earlier and Governor Steve Sisolak announced that the first phase of his reopening plan would start a week…

The Justice Department has been using every trick in the book to try to shut down online gambling in America. And now that the Coronavirus has created a national lock down, they apparently want to take full advantage. The DOJ very quietly asked Congress for the ability to ask chief judges so that they can to detain people indefinitely without trial during emergencies such as a pandemic. Just as disturbing, they are asking to lawmakers about things like the statute of limitations, asylum and the way court hearings are conducted. The website POLITICO originally reported this, and reviewed documents where…

For those of you watching the steps toward a Las Vegas reopen this will be exciting news! The first phase of the process has begun, and it’s a week ahead of schedule! The Nevada Gaming Commission approved guidelines proposed by the Control Board, and Governor Steve Sisolak announced that the first phase would begin May 9th, a week ahead of the planned May 15th. Those guidelines included strict social distancing measures that were highlighted by increased distance at slot machines and a limit on how many players can sit at a given gaming table. Under these rules, all poker games…

Don’t look now, but the Wynn Las Vegas and their sister site Encore could actually open as early as this month… if (and it’s a big “if”) Nevada’s phased reopening schedule moves along quickly. Wynn Resorts CEO Matt Maddox said that when the time is right the company will probably reopen both of its Vegas Strip resorts together in a limited capacity. Maddox added that reopening ultimately would depend on public health benchmarks set by state officials and by Wynn’s reopening plan that was released in April. “Clearly, we won’t be opening large mass gathering places — nightclubs or convention…

Strategic Partnership embraces the challenge as an opportunity for further growth SiGMA Group and Macau Gaming Show (MGS) have announced a new strategic partnership. This joining of forces will foster a stronger presence int he Asian gaming industry communities in both Manila and Macau, whilst also strengthening ties to a growing network of thought leaders and experts in land-based gaming. The 2020 pandemic has undoubtedly been a catalyst which has spurred land-based gaming companies and IRs on to diversify their offering and allay risks by incorporating online gaming and emerging tech into their remit, making the launch a well timed…

All across America, casino workers are asking for more protective equipment from employers, and for new cleaning and social distancing policies in place before they agree to return to work. Two of the country’s largest casino worker unions, Unite Here and the Culinary Workers Union, representing workers from casinos in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, New Orleans and Biloxi, Mississippi, held a video news conference Tuesday to call for all workers to be tested at the casinos’ expense before returning back to their jobs. They also laid out detailed health and safety protocols unique to each worker’s job. The calls came…