Las Vegas: Vaccinated People Breathe a Sigh of Relief

Sin City without masks and plexiglass

The US casino stronghold Las Vegas has the toughest Fight for survival its history: a capacity utilization rule of 80 percent has been in effect since May. The NGCB (Nevada Gaming Control Board) had already permitted a return to normal operations for the Caesars and MGM establishments last week. Now comes another step towards normality: lifting the mask requirement for fully vaccinated people.

As the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) announced earlier this week, the remaining rules - including mask requirements and social distancing - do not necessarily apply to people who have been vaccinated twice. According to the CDCP, those affected should be allowed to decide for themselves whether they want to continue to participate in the protective measures or not. The same applies to fully vaccinated staff.

Gov. Steve Sisloak then cleared the way for a completely mask-free and plexiglass-free reopening. Some large companies reacted immediately: Caesars Entertainment, Wynn Resorts and MGM Resorts, all of which operate several casinos in Las Vegas, implemented the relaxations. The first establishments where vaccinated people can breathe a sigh of relief again include the Bellagio, the Red Rock, the ARIA and the Cosmopolitan (Blackstone).

According to Governor Sisolak, the entire city of Las Vegas should be working at maximum capacity again from June - with fewer and fewer infections and deaths as well as increasing vaccinations, we are ready for a return to normality. From now on, Sisolak plans to adapt the rules for social distancing to the individual regions and districts. Each county in Nevada is unique, so there are different factors to consider. However, vaccine distribution plays a key role in the return to normality, which is why their availability at large venues should be increased.

More tourists and growing income

After a year-long downturn since the first casino shutdown in November 2020, Las Vegas is seeing light at the end of the tunnel again. The GLItzerstadt in the Nevada desert, with a population of almost 640,000, is practically 100 percent dependent on its casinos, leisure facilities, entertainment offerings and restaurants. Guests are slowly returning as a result of the increasing easing of restrictions.

According to recent reports from the Las Vegas Convention And Visitors Authority (LVCVA), Las Vegas' marketing authority, the city welcomed 2.2 million visitors again in November 2021. For comparison : In November 2020 there were 1.5 million visitors. According to LVCVA, McCarran International Airport had almost 2.6 million passengers, an increase of 24.7 percent compared to the previous year. However, German visitors still have to be patient until a visit to Las Vegas is possible again - entry into the USA is still not possible. At least you can get a bit of a Las Vegas feeling Live online casinos bring home.

Together, the casinos on the Las Vegas and Boulder strips, downtown and in the Clarke County region generated almost $1.5 billion in March. The total marks a monthly record since 2013. In contrast, in November 2019, just over a billion dollars were generated from 4.4 million visitors. No one expected such an increase amid the crisis, said Michael Lawton, spokesman for the NGCB.

Recently, Steve Hill, President and CEO of the LVCVA, also welcomed the positive results and the increasing ones Relaxations. Wider availability of vaccines will allow the entertainment industry to return to full capacity from June. Until then, Las Vegas will continue to adhere to all necessary health protection measures. We are grateful for Governor Sisolak's thoughtful leadership and determination.

Acknowledgments from Caesars and MGM

According to managing directors Tom Reeg (Caesars) and Bill Hornbuckle (MGM), the vaccination of staff has been driven forward with great enthusiasm in recent months - the NGCB has now recognized these efforts. We are very grateful to all team members who have decided to be vaccinated against Covid-19. They also want to create many incentives for vaccination.

According to Caesars CEO Reeg, all of Las Vegas needs easy access to the vaccines as they offer the only way out of the pandemic. The easing of restrictions is a strong encouragement, but the battle against Covid-19 is not yet won. Defeating the virus requires a sustained commitment to health and safety. The vaccinations are the basis for a comeback.

MGM CEO Hornbuckle also explained that vaccinations form the basis for a return to normality. The easing of restrictions is a milestone that could only be achieved through vaccinations. Las Vegas could now enter a phase of recovery. Further developments remain to be seen for the time being. In Australia, however, players are somewhat more restricted when it comes to visiting casinos and casinos, which is why Internet casinos still enjoy great popularity

Las Vegas: Vaccinated people breathe a sigh of relief