By
Mike J. Davies
Editor in Chief at Casinos.US Updated: 09/16/2020
Mike is our Senior Editor and experienced gambling strategist. A former hockey player, he transitioned to the casino industry after finishing his B.A. in English. Blackjack systems, online casino guides, gambling terms, and more – Mike is familiar with all fine points of gambling.
Miami-Dade Casinos Finally Reopen with New Measures in Place
Casinos across the United States were forced to close in March this year because of the global pandemic. The crisis affected many businesses and industries, and casinos along with other parts of the entertainment and hospitality industries were among those that were hardest hit.
With brick-and-mortar casinos forced to remain closed for several months in some places, huge financial losses were incurred by operators. In some parts of the United States, casinos opened in June, while in order states they had to wait until July and beyond. In the Miami-Dade area, casinos have remained shut until now, other than a brief reopening in July.
Months after they were closed because of COVID-19, Miami-Dade casinos were finally given the go-ahead to reopen earlier this week. However, as with casinos in other parts of the country, this will be with strict measures in place.
The new regulations that have come into play mean that casinos in Miami-Dade have to operate at 50% capacity. This comes after an emergency order was signed by Mayor Carlos Gimenez last week in the run-up to reopening.
In addition to this, additional new measures have been brought in so that both employees and patrons can be better protected from the risk of infection. This includes the wearing of face masks while at the casino and the need to maintain proper social distancing.
Other measures include the consumption of food and drink only in specific designated areas, no drinking at the tables or slots, and the need for temperature testing. These measures have been brought in at casinos across the country due to the higher risk of infection in these sorts of settings.
Casinos in the area had reopened in early July following the initial lockdown. However, they were then made to close again, with the new date for reopening only being announced a few days ago. A spike in COVID-19 infections resulted in the venues having to shut again after their initial reopening. However, tribal casinos were not affected.
According to a spokesperson for one casino in the Miami-Dade area, gamblers have been eager to get back through the doors and enjoy some entertainment. This comes after a lengthy period of being unable to visit the casinos in the area to enjoy the slots, table games, and other facilities.
Sandra Rodriguez from the Magic City Casino stated that there were people flocking to the venue when the doors reopened in order to get in and enjoy the casino experience once again. She said:
I consider us a very spirited casino, we have a lot of energy on our casino floor. People were outside the door waiting to come in, and honestly, you could see a lot of smiles as they’re coming in, they’re happy to see the employees.
Miami-Dade County currently has a 10pm curfew in place, so the Magic City Casino is currently only open for limited hours until 9.30pm each day to adhere to this curfew.
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