Gambling looks different as casinos reopen from coronavirus lockdowns. What changed?

As coronavirus restrictions ease across the country, casinos are reopening their doors — but the gambling experience looks a little different.

After being closed for several weeks, the Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel in Idaho opened to patrons on April 27 with a new set of procedures, NBC News reported. Every other slot machine is blocked off to help promote social distancing and the casino’s buffet restaurant is closed indefinitely, according to the outlet.

Patrons are checked for fevers at the door where they’re also given masks before stepping onto the casino floor, KREM reported. Additionally, the casino is also closed from 3 a.m. to 7 a.m. each day for cleaning, according to the outlet.

“It’s been really challenging because we’re known for being friendly and socializing,” resort CEO Laura Stensgar told NBC. “But we knew that to open our doors we had to establish strict, new protocols and provide that safe environment with social distancing for our customers and employees.”

The casino complex includes a number of restaurants, a hotel, a spa, a conference center and a golf course and employs more than 850 people, NBC reported.

“The casino financially provides for our entire government, like law enforcement and educational programs,” Coeur d’Alene Tribe chairman Ernie Stensgar told the outlet. “So, we knew pretty immediately we needed to make plans to get it going again, but safely.”

During the pandemic, every one of the 989 tribal and commercial casinos in the country was closed, the American Gaming Association said, according to the Wall Street Journal. As of Monday, 82 have reopened with health and safety measures of their own.

Casinos in Louisiana were allowed to reopen Monday provided they submit a health and safety plan to the state, WAFB reported. The Louisiana Gaming Control Board is requiring casinos to limit building capacity to 25% and implement strict sanitation guidelines, according to the outlet.

“You had seating for six at a blackjack table, probably going to be seating for three now,” gaming control board chairman Ronnie Jones told WAFB. “The craps table might ordinarily accommodate 16 people. Under these restrictions, it will be a maximum of six.”

In addition to temperature checks on patrons, staff members are also required to wipe down each slot machine between uses, the outlet reported.

Casinos in Deadwood, South Dakota, aren’t limiting capacity, the Wall Street Journal reported. Instead, all slot machines are on, but when a patron chooses one, staff members will close off neighboring machines.

“The last thing an operator wants to do is accidentally take out someone’s favorite machine,” mayor David Ruth told the Journal.

In Oklahoma, Downstream Casino Resort is set to reopen Thursday afternoon, the Joplin Globe reported. Patrons can enter through one of two points where they’ll be checked for fevers with thermal imaging. Anyone with a fever of 100.4 degrees or over will be asked to return to their cars, the Globe reported. Employees will be directed to a medical vehicle to be tested, according to the newspaper.

“The thing about this is, we have done our due diligence on this to help keep everyone involved safe,” spokesperson Barry Linduff told the Globe. “We are hoping that our guests do a little self-policing and use common sense when returning.”

Instead of blocking off machines, Downstream removed about an eighth of its slots and non-players are not allowed to gather around gaming tables, the Globe reported. Gloves and masks are encouraged for patrons, but not required.

Some casino staff members, however, are anxious to get back to work.

Earlier this month, a longtime Las Vegas card dealer Kanie Kastroll made news when she called on casinos to provide safer, smoke-free environments when they reopen, McClatchy News reported.

“Smoking kills — and now with COVID-19, it’s another example of how smoking kills,” she said, citing studies that suggest smoking may worsen coronavirus symptoms, according to the report.

Kastroll also called on Las Vegas casinos to implement more health and safety procedures.

“We need our cash cleaned, we need chips cleaned, we need people cleaned — your hands,” she said, McClatchy reported. “Our union has been asking for masks since January.”

The Nevada Gaming Control Board and Gov. Steve Sisolak haven’t announced a reopening date for Las Vegas casinos, but some operators have begun taking reservations for stays as early as May 26, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.

This story was originally published May 20, 2020 at 7:25 AM with the headline "Gambling looks different as casinos reopen from coronavirus lockdowns. What changed?."