Coronavirus closes 14 casinos & resorts on Las Vegas Strip

If you’ve ever been to Las Vegas then you’ll know that casinos on the Las Vegas Strip, like the best online casino sites, famously never close for any reason, not even on Christmas Day! However, amidst Coronavirus worries, MGM Resorts International and Wynn Resorts has announced that it will close 14 of its resorts and casinos situated on the Las Vegas strip, following new guidelines that discourage gatherings of more than 50 people in the US.

The affected casinos will close today, with the resorts to follow tomorrow. The closures are currently expected to last at least two weeks, however MGM will not be taking any new reservations before May 1st. This kind of closure for Las Vegas is unprecedented, but casinos in other parts of the world aren’t taking quite so drastic measures.

In Australia, casinos owned and run by major operators Crown Resorts and Star Entertainment Group are taking a different approach. Instead of closing, these casinos are opting to force social distancing by turning off half of the gambling machines in an effort to ensure players are at least one machine away from each other. These casinos will also be allowing fewer people to sit at card tables and allowing a maximum of 450 people into public dining areas.

Whilst in theory this practice should slow the transmission, people will still be using the same machines, handling the same chips and breathing the same air as everyone around them. We think Vegas has the right idea, as it’s not worth risking people's lives just for gambling. If you’re thinking about going to a casino to gamble, we’d recommend checking out a new online casino instead.

In the UK, a case of coronavirus at a bingo hall has put 25 people into quarantine, though there has been no official word on whether casinos or bingo halls in the UK will be forced to close as the situation worsens. If you are planning on visiting your local bingo hall, check out our coronavirus advice for bingo players. 

With the spread of Coronavirus affecting countries all over the world, many other businesses and industries that could potentially spread the virus by gathering large amounts of people are choosing to take breaks and delays over risking their customers.

E3, a major annual video game expo that was set to take place in June has recently cancelled the whole event due to coronavirus fears. This is the first time in 26 years that this huge industry event hasn’t gone ahead. The film industry is taking quite a hit too, as cinemas all over Europe are closing down and major Hollywood hits like the latest James Bond, X-Men and The Fast and the Furious films are being delayed into late 2020 and even into 2021.