The Nevada Gaming Control Board Wednesday sent out a notice ahead of the New Year’s holiday weekend cautioning the state’s casinos that they will face disciplinary measures if they don’t enforce Nevada’s indoor mask mandate.
The notice, issued by Board Chairman J. Brin Gibson, comes as the U.S. recorded the highest number of COVID-19 cases on record at 265,000 due to the omicron variant, with about 1,500 deaths per day nationwide attributed to the coronavirus.
Casinos have appeared to be more lax in enforcing the mask mandate, which was dropped in May, then reinstated in late July due to due the Delta variant. Guests may remove their masks for drinking, eating, and smoking.
Gibson’s notice applies to counties with substantial or high transmission of COVID-19, which includes Las Vegas, Reno, and the Carson capital district. Las Vegas is expecting a rush of tourists for the New Year’s weekend and convention attendees for the Consumer Electronics Show returning to the Strip next week.
Prior to the pandemic, Las Vegas had more than 300,000 visitors over a New Year’s weekend.
“With another sharp increase in cases of COVID-19 occurring in Nevada, the Nevada Gaming Control Board expects each of its licensees to ensure compliance with Governor Sisolak’s (emergency directive adopting recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) related to masks,” the notice said.
That directive requires everyone, including those who are fully vaccinated, to wear a mask in public indoor settings.
“As Nevada prepares for a substantial rise in visitation for the New Year’s holiday, the Board will intensify its enforcement of Emergency Directive 045 at all licensed locations subject to the mask requirement to ensure the safety of Nevada’s residents and visitors,” the notice said.
Gibson said the Board reminds its licensees, gaming employees, and the general public that a licensee in violation of any federal, state, or local law or regulation is also in violation of a Nevada Gaming Commission regulation. The Board may seek disciplinary action by the Nevada Gaming Commission for any such violation.
Similar notices were issued in the past ahead of holidays amid concerns that the mask mandate wasn’t being enforced.
