COVID-19 Closes Nevada's Casinos (2020)

2020

State emergency declared
March 12, 2020, by Gov. Steve Sisolak
Casino closure
All gaming had to shut down by 11:59 p.m. on March 17, 2020
Initial term
30 days, later extended to 11:59 p.m. April 30, 2020 by Emergency Directive 010 (April 1)
Formal directive
Emergency Directive 002; Directive 016 (April 29) set the terms for reopening
Regulator
Nevada Gaming Control Board, chaired by Sandra Douglass Morgan
Reopening
12:01 a.m. Thursday, June 4, 2020, under Emergency Directive 021 (May 28)
Length of closure
78 days
Capacity on reopening
Gaming floors limited to 50 percent
Second tightening
Emergency Directive 035 cut gaming floors to 25 percent capacity (Board notice, November 24, 2020)
Emergency ended
May 18, 2022; Gov. Joe Lombardo rescinded all 52 COVID directives on January 6, 2023

About

Gov. Steve Sisolak declared a state of emergency over COVID-19 on March 12, 2020. Five days later, on March 17, the Nevada Gaming Control Board told every licensee that all gaming devices, machines, tables and games had to be shut down by 11:59 p.m. that night, for 30 days. The order was formalised as Emergency Directive 002 and extended on April 1 by Directive 010 to the end of April.

The shutdown kept going. Directive 016, issued April 29, said gaming could not resume until the Gaming Control Board judged it safe, and required the Board to write health and safety rules for a gradual reopening. The Board issued those rules on May 1 and updated them on May 27, adding requirements such as face coverings for guests on request and, at resort hotels, temperature screening or an on-site medical professional and a place for guests to be tested.

Directive 021, issued May 28, allowed casinos to reopen on June 4. Downtown casinos and neighbourhood properties opened at 12:01 a.m. that Thursday, after 78 days closed, and Strip resorts followed over the next days. Gaming floors were limited to 50 percent capacity, staff wore masks, and many casinos checked temperatures at the door. On June 17 the Board required masks at any table game without a barrier between dealer and player.

The pandemic was not over. In November 2020, Directive 035 cut gaming floors and restaurants to 25 percent of capacity. Nevada's emergency was ended by proclamation on May 18, 2022, and on January 6, 2023, Gov. Joe Lombardo formally rescinded the March 2020 declaration and all 52 emergency directives that followed it.

More from the 2020s

Before and after

Good to know

  • Online and mobile wagering were not covered by the March 2020 shutdown order; hotels attached to casinos could also stay open to avoid displacing guests.
  • Reopening was staggered: casinos had to give the Gaming Control Board 7 days' notice, so not every property opened on June 4.
  • Live shows were allowed back in June 2020 only without a public audience, and each event needed Board approval.
  • The 50 percent capacity limit was based on each gaming area's maximum occupancy under local building and fire codes.
  • No dedicated memorial or exhibit to the shutdown exists on the Strip; the official record is the Governor's directives and the Gaming Control Board's industry notices.

Questions about COVID-19 Closes Nevada's Casinos (2020)

When did Las Vegas casinos close for COVID-19?

The Nevada Gaming Control Board ordered all gaming devices, tables and games statewide shut down by 11:59 p.m. on March 17, 2020, following Gov. Steve Sisolak's COVID-19 measures announced that day. The order was first set for 30 days, then extended to April 30 and beyond. Online and mobile wagering were not covered by the order.

When did Las Vegas casinos reopen?

Casinos were allowed to reopen on Thursday, June 4, 2020, under Emergency Directive 021. Downtown casinos and properties serving local residents opened at 12:01 a.m. that morning, and Strip resorts followed in the next days. The closure had lasted 78 days. Gaming floors were limited to 50 percent of their normal capacity.

How long were Nevada casinos closed?

Seventy-eight days, from just before midnight on March 17, 2020, to the reopening on June 4, 2020. The original order was for 30 days. Directive 010 extended it to April 30, and Directive 016 then said casinos could not reopen until the Gaming Control Board decided it was safe.

What rules applied when casinos reopened?

Gaming floors were capped at 50 percent capacity, employees wore masks, and many properties checked temperatures at the entrance. Resort hotels had to screen guest temperatures or keep a medical professional on site, and offer a place for testing. From June 2020, masks were required at table games without a barrier between dealer and players.

Did the casinos close again later in 2020?

They did not close fully, but limits tightened. Under Emergency Directive 035 in November 2020, the Gaming Control Board told licensees to cut gaming floor occupancy to 25 percent of maximum capacity. Restaurants were also limited to 25 percent. Those limits were eased later as the emergency wound down.

When did Nevada's COVID emergency officially end?

The state of emergency declared on March 12, 2020, was ended by proclamation on May 18, 2022. On January 6, 2023, Gov. Joe Lombardo signed an executive order formally rescinding that declaration and Emergency Directives 001 through 052, while keeping any provisions tied to federal funding.