It is no secret that things are not going so well with the numbers around the corona. Where the first wave was reasonably quickly under control, albeit with very drastic measures, the second wave has been allowed to go far, affecting online gambling along with all other sectors of our day to day life.
Earlier measures to close the catering industry earlier and then earlier and with a limited number of guests have not had the desired effect. For land based casinos , the first measure also hit them: they have to close the doors at 1 a.m. and are not allowed to let in new visitors from midnight.
The second measure also affected them slightly less: they may continue to use the earlier opening hours but must close the catering industry at 10 p.m. This means that you will not be able to get anything to eat and/or drink from that moment.
We soon learned that these measures did not reduce the numbers enough, and warnings had been issued for some time about more severe measures. In some European countries, we heard this in the press conference on 13 October: the catering industry will close for at least a period of 4 weeks from 14 October. And some additional measures have been mentioned.
But what about online gambling, sports betting and casino games now? Online roulette, blackjack, slots and others are still available no matter the situation. And now that the weather is going bad, we are also curious how things are in our fun city Las Vegas. From this article, you will learn about all these facts!
The catering industry closed, casinos may remain open
Therefore, the catering industry is closing its doors again for the time being and is only allowed to offer pick-up and delivery services. It should be clear that the trade association is not amused, to say the least. And that is not surprising.
It is an industry that has been hit hard from the start of this crisis, first with a month-long shutdown and then with all its limitations. Many entrepreneurs have also invested in options to be able to continue to use terraces in less weather and now see that they have to close again.
And where this was previously accompanied by the closure of contact professions, gyms, and casinos, they are now the only ones who have to close the doors completely.
Did things go so badly in the hospitality industry?
And honestly: we also think something about it. Especially when you look at restaurants, the experience is that they have it well organized in most cases. It is also admitted that the biggest problem is certainly not there. The Outbreak Management Team also says that restaurants should not necessarily have been closed.
The so-called wet catering industry does, however, pose a greater risk: if things go wrong there, it is immediately wrong. And the question is whether we have a good view of the infections here: who does report and how well can you conduct contact investigations in such a situation?
Plus, the catering staff test positive, with 5% of the highest of all professional groups. And to keep things unambiguous, all catering establishments must therefore be closed, including restaurants.
But for casino sites, there is some ‘good’ news this time. Or let’s say no worse news for online casinos. They were for a long time equated with catering. It now seems that a casino consists of separate parts: where you can play and a piece of catering. So playing is still allowed, until 1.00 a.m., only a snack or drink is not possible for the time being.
Who’s going to the casino now?
For many of us, the casino visit instead of online gambling is a form of entertainment. And that includes at least a drink and often a snack. Will, that part of the players still go to the casino from now on or have to continue with online gambling options?
And it was also said among themselves: the inveterate player does not eat or drink, if at all. And often not at all by itself. Smoking, on the other hand… But for them, not much will change; they will probably keep going anyway.
The coming weeks will be exciting in many ways and for many people with online gambling opportunities in hand. Let’s hope that it will be useful and that we will be released from this misery after a month …
And how are things on the other side of the ocean in Las Vegas?
At the beginning of the crisis, we regularly observed how things were going in the US. But the last update in that regard was already months ago, when it was expected that many casinos would close their doors after the Independence Day weekend, whether or not voluntarily.
And now that a trip to our favorite fun city seems further away than ever (when should we be allowed again ??), we are curious how it is there. Will, there be a Strip full of online casinos to marvel at, or will we soon be looking at a ghost town?
In the city of Nevada, there was indeed a sharp increase in the number of corona infections in the month of July. The peak was about two weeks after the conscious weekend of July 4, so that prediction has, unfortunately, come true. After that, the numbers also decreased again, only to increase again, just like here. But such a peak as we see here in the Netherlands, we do not yet see in Nevada.
The first months of the corona crisis also hit Las Vegas: in the period from May to July, and turnover was about 66% lower than a year earlier.
New rules for Vegas as of October 1: relaxation everywhere
There is no longer a lockdown in Las Vegas, but there are quite a few measures. An establishment such as a casino may receive a maximum of 250 people per room, or 50% of the maximum capacity if less than 250.
In total, an establishment may receive 1000 guests in different rooms. Maximum occupancy of 10% applies to theaters, conference centers, etc. that normally can accommodate 2500 people or more. If this is more than 150, a plan of action must be submitted to the state.
Bars, restaurants and other venues are allowed to operate at 50% capacity. Of course, all comply with all hygiene protocols, wearing mouth masks and keeping a distance of 6 feet.
Are all casinos in Las Vegas open again?
Casinos may, therefore, all be open again, just like the catering industry. Admittedly with a limited number of guests and with a lot of other measures. But are all resorts open again?
If we look at MGM, we can book again at all resorts in the short term. The same goes for the resorts of Caesars, Wynn and Venetian. Some hotels are not open all week. Still, it all looks a bit different now. Forget crowds; Las Vegas is quieter than ever.
From this video, we learn that Park MGM was the last resort on the Strip to reopen its doors on October 1, after having been closed for more than six months. And special news: it is the first resort to be non-smoking. So also, online gambling!
And speaking of news: Circa is finally opening! This resort downtown will open at the end of October, and it promises to be cool.
How long will this go well?
In other words, the Americans are welcome in Vegas and can still take a gamble there. Now that Trump has conquered corona in no time, if we are to believe him (there are persistent rumors that the whole story is made up), he will try to keep the economy as open as possible.
But … we now see the consequences of this, if we look at the summer in our own country alone, and in the rest of Europe.
The people in Vegas seem to be fed up is evident from the various shootings in recent times. Because that is also Vegas: behind the glitter and glamor lies a lot of poverty and crime. Drugs and alcohol are a problem in Sin City and add to that the restrictions brought about by the pandemic, hitting the poorest group the hardest, and you understand that the atmosphere can get pretty grim.