Face masks are once again mandatory inside Las Vegas casinos, in other gaming halls throughout Clark County, Nevada, and any place in the state with “substantial or high-transmission” Covid cases.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board, following new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said it would “continue to ensure that best practices are used in the mitigation of Covid-19.” The board reminded casinos and other licensees that they must post signs about where masks need to be worn. The CDC advises even vaccinated people to wear masks indoors in high-transmission areas.
“Let’s mask up to keep one another safe,” tweeted Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak.
Starting last Friday, MGM Resorts, the largest operator on the Vegas Strip, began requiring “all guests and visitors” to wear masks indoors in public spaces. According to KLAS-TV, MGM employees are now required to upload photos of their vaccine cards or pay a $15 co-pay for weekly Covid tests.
According to the Washington Post, the return of masking threw a wet blanket on the party atmosphere in Vegas, and some travelers’ plans to return to the city. One of them, Amy Boike of Lakeville, Minnesota, said, “I don’t want to spend all that money for a trip and then have to suffer through a mask.”
Two CEOs of Las Vegas Strip properties told GGB News last week that there was waves of cancellations coming in after the mask mandate was announced.
“Why would you come to Las Vegas to let your hair down and then be told you have to cover your face?” he said.
