- Nevada casinos are operating at full capacity statewide as of June 1.
- Some casinos, like those in the northern part of NV, will not be reopening.
- A handful of gaming establishments will open under new names as they were sold off during the height of the Coronavirus Pandemic.
LAS VEGAS - On June 1, Nevada fully opened their casinos among the state’s other businesses which means they will no longer need to operate at minimum capacities, but some gaming establishments will not be coming back from their Coronavirus Pandemic closures.
The Silver State has no more social distancing or COVID-19 limits placed upon them as Governor Steve Sisolak lifted them all. For over a year, casinos were forced to implement a number of health safety guidelines in order to be operational.
Many gamblers turned to online casinos during this time and with the news of some casinos keeping their doors closed for good, the internet gambling world could continue to rise in popularity in NV.
What’s Being Said About Casinos In Nevada
Many of the locations that will not be opening back up are not in the heart of the Nevada gambling district which is the sin city of Las Vegas. Northern Nevada gaming establishments are taking the hits such as Harrah’s Reno, who sold their facility to Caesars Entertainment, Inc. for $50 million in early 2020.
Main Street Station and Eastside Cannery, both Boyd Gaming properties located on the Strip, remain closed. The two casinos have not opened their doors since March of 2020 but have plans to reopen later this year.
“At this point, we’re solidly on the way to recovery,” said Brendan Bussmann, Director of Government Affairs for Las Vegas-based Global Market Advisors. “And I say that not only for Las Vegas but also for the regional market. I think the critical next step is the return of meetings and conventions. The third step is going to be the international visitors.”
However, the comeback of these casinos in Nevada and Las Vegas will be hard to do in a quick manner. Many, in an effort to save money, didn’t renew liquor licenses for a year, not knowing when they’d be able to open again. Now, they need to wait to become licensed in 2022 to start operations back up.
The Fiesta Rancho Casino and the Texas Station Casino cannot get their licenses back until June 4, 2022, opting to lean on the safe side of business through these uncertain times and not pay to renew their 2021 licenses.
The Coronavirus Pandemic also forced many companies to sell during a time of zero profits coming in which means there will be many locations opening up as different named casinos due to these sales. The Eldorado opened in April but is now known as The Pass because it was sold in 2020.
“Gaming is returning at a different pace in different markets,” said Bussmann. “Things that have remained shuttered, either it’s because they weren’t necessarily profitable or demand in that area hasn’t returned to the level that would allow them to open, from the operator’s point of view.”
Nevada’s retail casinos should begin to see profits slowly coming in as they are now fully opened to the public. However, it is a safe bet that some gamblers will continue to keep their business online using mobile gaming applications.
The biggest factor that will help the state’s brick-and-mortar casinos to stay afloat is tourism. Once more people start visiting Nevada again, the casinos will see more and more business coming their way.
If the Coronavirus has proved anything to Nevada’s gaming industry it’s that even their gambling businesses are a gamble when it comes to their success. Unfortunately, some establishments gambled and lost to COVID-19.