Say it isn’t so! Face masks have returned for all Sin City visitors, leading some to worry about a second Vegas casinos closure. After all, last week brought the return of restrictions for casino employees, reinstating an indoor masks mandate. And now, Nevada is adopting the CDC recommendations for face masks. What about social distancing and capacity limits? Could a Las Vegas shut down really happen again?
Well hello, all my friends out there! And thanks so much for taking the time to stream another edition of This Week in Gambling, where things in Nevada are developing rather quickly… with people worried about another possible Vegas casinos closure… and that is this week’s big story. On our last program we spoke about Las Vegas face mask requirements for employees who work indoors and around the public. However, at the time there was no face mask requirement for tourists visiting Las Vegas… but you know, things change.
An emergency directive from the Governor finds the state adopting the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control, meaning that all Las Vegas tourists are required to wear a face mask indoors again, regardless of their vaccination status. And as face mask rules roll back to where they were in May, some of you may be wondering about social distancing, capacity limits, or even a Vegas casinos closure. So far there haven’t been any… nor has there been talk of any. But hey, last week there wasn’t any talk about making tourists wear masks, either! So what the hell do I know?!
Making matters even worse, some locations around the country are issuing a travel warning for Las Vegas, calling it a Covid “hot spot”… which technically it is… and urging their residents to avoid traveling to the city altogether. And as face masks return and the Delta variant spreads, some casino workers who have not been vaccinated yet will be required to pay for their own weekly Covid testing… which I guess only seems fair.
Employees of MGM Properties, who remain unvaccinated for whatever reason, will now have to pay $15 a week to ensure they are Coronavirus free. But what happens to those employees who do catch the virus? Those who test positive will have to quarantine. And those who test positive who did not get a vaccination will also have to quarantine, but without pay. So, for those of you who like apples, how do you like them apples, eh?
This week’s game review is for the Bubble Fruits online slot from our friends at GameArt. With five reels, three rows, and 10 paylines this game comes with Wilds and Expanding Wilds, as well as re-spins and a gamble feature! You can find this review and hundreds more when you visit and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Finally this week, while we don’t know if there will be a second Vegas casinos closure, we do know this: They are pushing for more people to receive the Covid vaccination… and they’re not alone! The Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority is working with casinos (and an advertising agency) to help promote getting the vaccine. So I suppose, even if you’re just visiting you could always see a show, spin a slot, and then grab a Covid Cocktail to go! You might want to get the salt around the rim for that one.
