As casinos across the world shut down in an attempt to tackle the spread of the coronavirus, Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak has decided to order a complete closure of all casinos. All gaming operations are to cease along with non-essential businesses closing as well, like restaurants and bars.

Halt at Midnight:

All gaming in the state was to cease by midnight on Tuesday, while the remaining services of the venues, like restaurants and bar service, is stop by noon today. During a press conference on the matter, Governor Sisolak was asked about non-casino gaming machines. In response, the governor was quite annoyed and told people to stop looking for a loophole.

Every gaming device in Nevada is to stop and no longer offer services. Casino games take place on devices that are considered high-touch points. Even with regular cleaning, the coronavirus continues to spread, so the logical next step is to close.

According to the source…

The governor said that the state will be reevaluating the situation once the 30 day time period is up. The shutdown will either end or be extended. While people may think this is an overaction, Governor Sisolak said that it was an appropriate and informed reaction.

Early Closures:

Before the announcement was made by the governor, casinos in Las Vegas had already begun to close. The Las Vegas Sands announced that their Strip properties were closing while MGM Resorts and Wynn Resorts made the move a few days prior. At the same time, other operators like Caesars Entertainment decided to stay open but practice social distancing and additional cleaning.

Casinos provide more than 450,000 of the jobs in the state and with tourism, the region counts for almost 40% of revenues for the general fund. Despite the loss during the shutdown, the governor noted that if a business brings groups of people together, then it needs to be closed.