Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak issued new capacity restrictions and limitations for businesses that will impact live poker in Las Vegas. The Democratic politician who himself tested positive for COVID-19 is desperately trying to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.
On a positive note for the Vegas live poker scene,, poker rooms aren’t being forced to close. That means you can still play cards if you’re in town, but you had better be prepared for long wait times, especially at the busiest poker rooms such as Venetian, Aria, and Bellagio.
Sisolak finds himself in a no-win situation given the current state of affairs in the Silver State. If he doesn’t take action, many will rip on him for refusing to do enough to stop the spread of COVID-19. If he forces businesses to close, others will bash him for destroying the state’s economy. Such is the case in these trying times for the Nevada governor. Or, any governor in the US, for that matter.
Nevada’s coronavirus cases are spiraling out of control. The state hit 2,500 cases in a single day on Nov. 21, breaking the state’s previous high by more than 800 cases. Then on Sunday, Nevada reached 2,000 cases yet again.
Governor Cracking Down
Back in March, Sisolak forced the closure of all non-essential businesses in the state, including casinos and poker rooms. This time around, despite COVID-19 hitting all-time highs, he isn’t going that far. Instead, he’s putting capacity restrictions on certain businesses.
If you’re in Las Vegas and want to go out for a nice dinner, that won’t be so easy over the next few weeks. Sisolak imposed restaurant capacity limitations at 25%. Customers will also be required to make a reservation prior to visiting a restaurant.
Grocery stores with over 50,000 square feet are now required to operate at 50% of maximum capacity or less. That will certainly make it a bit frustrating for shoppers.
Those who want to continue playing poker in Las Vegas can, but face masks are required. And the Nevada governor now only permits 25% of maximum capacity for gaming establishments statewide. What that means for poker rooms is that the number of poker tables available is about to drop in half (previously 50% capacity).
These new restrictions go into place effective at 12:01 am on Tuesday. So, if you are craving a juicy steak and don’t want to wait an hour for a seat, you might want to do that before midnight tomorrow night.
