Arizona’s tribal casinos have come under considerable criticism for opening while other businesses, such as gyms and cinemas, remain closed due to Covid-19.
The casinos did close during Governor’s Doug Ducey’s shelter-in-place order, but were not legally required to do so. Casinos in the state operate on sovereign tribal reservations, and so are not subject to orders of the state or county health authorities.
Even so, those authorities warn that people who visit casinos are engaged in a high-risk activity.
Most reopened in May, including Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, Gila Rivers Hotels & Casinos and Fort McDowell Casino. In June, the Desert Diamond Casino West Valley, Talking Stick Casino and Casino Arizona reopened.
Dr. Shad Marvasti, director of public health at the University of Arizona College of Medicine Phoenix told CDC Gaming Reports, “As long as our percent positive cases are as high as they are, I don’t think any of these places should be open, from a public health safety view, until we get those numbers down.” He advises that if casinos do open, they should “really keep it at the lowest levels.”
The tribal owners say they’re following CDC guidelines to keep their customers safe, and a spokesman for Ducey said the state is providing additional guidance.
CDC guidelines include four stages of operating a casino that range from “virtual gaming,” allowing only slot machines, operating tables but with limited participants to being open without restrictions.
Indian casinos account for as much as three-quarters of tribal budgets in the state, according to Gila River Indian Community Governor Stephen Lewis. And President Bernadine Burnette of the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation told CDC Gaming Reports that the two months the tribal casino was closed “were economically devastating to the community, our employees and vendors.”
After an employee of Gila River Hotels & Casinos died from Covid-19, the casinos closed. They have since reopened, and now consult with health experts “on a daily basis.”
Most Arizona casinos have banned smoking indoors as a safety measure. The first to do so were casinos operated by the Salt River Pima–Maricopa Indian Community. Marvasti also points out that smoking causes coughing, which then spreads droplets that could be carrying the Covid virus. Casinos that haven’t adopted total bans have created designated smoking areas.
When some customers said they wouldn’t return until smoking was allowed, Gila River Hotels & Casino issued a statement that the action “is currently the best approach to keep individuals healthy, even if our revenues are negatively impacted for the time being.”
One of the highest levels of infection in the country has been in the Navajo Nation, which last week reported 21 new virus cases and two more fatalities from the disease. The Nation had reported nearly 9,000 infected and 441 known deaths as of last week.
This prompted the Nation not to reopen its casinos longer than most and to impose curfews and weekend lockdowns.
It also caused the Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise to issue letters to 900 employees who had been on paid leave that they won’t be paid from now on. Another 125 employees will be paid for another week.
It had been a point of pride with the nation that it was able to keep all 1,180 casino employees on the payroll. However, the enterprise depleted its cash reserves according to a spokesman and is no longer receiving Paycheck Protection Program money from the CARES Act.
