Here’s How Casinos are Keeping Patrons Safe During COVID-19
Published: November 30, 2020
With the COVID-19 pandemic still impacting communities around the world, it is important to know the ways casinos and racinos are taking both health precautions and responsible gambling seriously.
While this post does mention gambling in casinos, it also serves as a reminder that if you do choose to gamble — regardless of how you gamble — know your limits, recognize the risks, and know when to quit.
Floor layouts
Floor plans of casinos have been revamped due to social distancing guidelines at many casinos and racinos. The days of tight spaces filled with slot machines are slowly going away, according to an article in the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Today, many slot machines are spaced six feet
apart or are laid out in a triangular format to do away with close proximity to others.
Going cashless
With the pandemic, the decline in paying with cash is starting to become the norm. Instead of paying with cash — which exchanges hands a lot and can transfer germs — many casinos are considering a cashless “virtual wallet,” based on a smartphone app that connects by Bluetooth to a slot machine.
This kind of technology could lead to the quicker adoption of cashless casinos across the country.
Opting for smoke-free
Casinos and racinos normally allow people to smoke in designated areas. But with COVID-19, many casinos are launching smoke-free policies, given that COVID-19 is transmitted from person to person, typically through respiratory droplets. More than 125 casino properties nationwide banned smoking as part of its health and safety protocols.
For more information on responsible gambling practices, visit BeforeYouBet.org.