Two Pennsylvania casinos reopen; dates remain unclear for remaining venues

Two casinos have already reopened in the state of Pennsylvania and one is set to reopen this Friday, as restrictions are loosened after the outbreak of Covid-19. As a few gaming venues get back to work, it is still unclear as to when the remaining casinos will be allowed to reopen, including the Mount Airy Casino and the Mohegan Sun Pocono.

Reopened Venues in Pennsylvania:

The Rivers Casino Pittsburgh and the Meadows Racetrack were the first to reopen in the state, launching their services earlier this week. According to Kevin O’Toole, the executive director of the state’s Gaming Control Board, the Lady Luck Casino will be opening on Friday. The Board held an online meeting last night where it was revealed that the Nemacolin casino was going to be back in operation later this week.

The casinos that have or are about to reopen are located in counties of the state that are in the green phase of the reopening plan. Governor Tom Wolf created a reopening plan that included phases, with casinos fitting into the green category.

Requirements of Reopening:

Casinos must meet certain requirements before they are allowed to reopen in Pennsylvania. This includes allowing guests into the facility at only 50% capacity or less. Both guests and employees must wear a mask while on-site.

Social distancing is also required. The number of players at table games is limited as well as how many slots are operating. The goal is to keep players separated to help slow the spread of the virus. Such safety measures are being implemented across the US in jurisdictions where casino gaming is offered to keep both players and employees safe.

Casinos in the state have already lost around three months of potential income due to the closure. In February, before casinos shut down, the state saw a gross revenue total of around $277 million from slots and table games. That amount dropped to $120 million for March, as venues were only open a few weeks. In April and May, the total was zero.

It is expected that the revenues earned over the next few months will be reduced due to players being cautious as casinos reopen.