Casinos set to reopen in New York

If you love gambling and miss going to the casino, your wait is almost over because casinos will be re-opening on Wednesday.

Casinos have been closed since the pandemic began back in March, and they are one of the last businesses allowed to reopen. It’s been a long wait, and casino owners have been without revenue for a long time. They certainly will be happy to open their doors next week.

Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced that casinos will be allowed to open on Wednesday with limited capacity. Governor Cuomo said, “New Yorkers have done an extraordinary job, we flattened the curve in a way that no expert thought was possible. We’ve made the determination that we can safely reopen casinos with enhanced air filtration and strict safety protocols including mandatory masks and social distancing. This is good news and the right next step in our data-driven phased reopening which is working.”

When casinos reopen on Wednesday they can admit patrons at 25% of their capacity. In addition to enhanced air filtration systems and social distancing, patrons and guests must wear masks when not eating or drinking.

No gaming tables will be allowed unless they contain barriers that are approved by the Gaming Commission. Casinos must maintain at least 6 feet of distance between patrons using gaming machines. Members of the Gaming Commission will monitor casinos to make sure that they are enforcing safety measures.

Not everyone will feel comfortable returning to the casinos at first, but as time goes on hopeful casinos can regain some of their lost revenue. Patrons have returned to malls, salons, bars, and restaurants. If the safety measures put in place are consistently enforced, hopefully, casinos will be able to reestablish themselves as part of our economic recovery.

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