COVID-19 Fine Issued to Aria Las Vegas

By Jerry Smith Staff Writer Updated: 11/23/2020

Jerry Smith Staff Writer See Full Bio

Jerry’s greatest advantage is his extensive experience on the casino floor. His time as a casino manager taught him everything about what makes a player tick. Besides being a skilled poker player, he has deep knowledge of all live table games and gambling regulations in the US.

Twitter X

COVID-19

Since casino resorts were allowed to reopen following the COVID-19 closures earlier this year, strict measures have been put into place to enhance safety and reduce risks. Casinos have to adhere to the new health and safety measures, which are designed to reduce the risk of infection spread as well as to protect both patrons and employees.

However, one of the Las Vegas Strip casino giants has recently been hit with a large fine for failing to comply with COVID-19 safety measures. The fine has been issued to the Aria Las Vegas casino by the Nevada Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). However, the owner of the Aria, MGM Resorts, has said that it does plan to appeal.

Increased Stringency from OSHA

According to reports, OSHA has been taking steps to increase fines and be more stringent with penalties because of the continued rapid spread of COVID-19. Casino resorts are among the places considered as being a high risk when it comes to the spread of the infection, hence strict measures have been brought in that casinos must adhere to.

While new restrictions and measures have been brought in for all businesses across the state, adherence to new rules in casinos has been a cause for concern for officials. OSHA has, therefore, been keeping a close eye on this, and as a result, the Aria has been found in breach of the regulations.

In response to the fine, MGM Resorts stated:

Aria has been cooperating with Nevada OSHA and plans to contest the citation and penalty because it does not believe it has violated any safety laws. There is no higher priority than the health and safety of our guests and employees and nothing we take more seriously.

According to reports, the resort was in violation of regulations because it failed to maintain social distancing at its point-of-sale terminals. This meant that employees were being put at risk, as the terminals are used by casino workers. The fine issued by OSHA for the alleged violation totals $12,617.

Adherence to Regulations Crucial

Casinos across Nevada were allowed to reopen in June after closing for several months because of the COVID-19 pandemic. While casinos are now open again, the global pandemic is far from over, with a second wave now devastating many parts of the world.

As a result, authorities have stressed the importance of continuing adherence to COVID-19 regulations for both the general public and businesses such as casinos. Any failure to do this, particularly on the part of businesses, can lead to severe financial penalties.

Casinos have put many new measures into place over recent months in order to make their venues as safe and secure as possible. This includes social distancing measures at slots and tables, temperature checks for employees and patrons, the wearing of face coverings, and increased cleaning and sanitization.

Based on OSHA figures, compliance in Nevada stands at 90 percent in the north and 87 percent in the south. Since March, 177 penalties and citations have been issued by Nevada OSHA.