Pa Casinos Reopen
Starting tomorrow local restaurants can resume indoor dining, gym owners can reopen their facilities and movie theaters and casinos can also reopen. For over three weeks restaurants have been. Pennsylvania Casinos Reopen casinoconnection.com 19d Most of Pennsylvania’s casinos reopened last week, after Governor Tom Wolf gave the OK for gaming halls to reopen at 50 percent capacity, with Covid-19 mitigation rules in place. Rivers Casino Philadelphia resumed operations Monday at 4 p.m. The casino's gaming floor will be open 24/7. Restaurants and bars at Rivers Casino Philadelphia remain closed.
, 2020 - 03:36pm@loumonacoWelcome back Pennsylvania casinos and sportsbooks!
Governor Tom Wolf and the state’s Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine announced Wednesday that the time-limited orders written back on December 12 will expire on Monday, January 4, at 8 a.m. ET as planned.
“Our mitigation efforts over the past several weeks are working, and I thank everyone who abided by the restrictions put in place to protect us,” Wolf said. “Every time we make a small decision to avoid risk – or take steps to make our actions a little bit less risky – we are helping to stop the spread of COVID-19 and save lives.
“At this time, my intention is to allow the time-limited mitigation orders that went into effect on December 12 to expire as planned on January 4.”
RELATED:Pennsylvania Closes Casinos Until January 4 To Help Curb COVID
With the expiration of the time-limited orders, mitigation efforts will revert to mitigation orders in place on December 11. That means: Pennsylvania casinos can reopen at 50% occupancy; self-certified restaurants may open at 50% capacity for indoor dining – restaurants that have not self-certified are at 25% capacity for indoor dining; on-premises alcohol consumption is prohibited unless part of a meal; cocktails-to-go and carryout beverages are allowed; serving alcohol for on-site consumption must end at 11 p.m. ET, and all alcoholic beverages must be removed from patrons by midnight.
All COVID-19 safety protocols will continue to be followed, and the out-of-state testing requirement will still be in place.
CHECK OUT:The Top US Online Casinos
PA Casinos That Can Reopen January 4
The 12 casinos that can re-open on Monday are:
- Harrah’s Philadelphia
- Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course
- Lady Luck Nemacolin
- Live! Casino Pittsburgh
- Meadows Casino and Racetrack
- Mohegan Sun Pocono in Wilkes-Barre
- Mount Airy Casino Resort
- Parx Casino in Bensalem
- Presque Isle Racetrack and Casino
- Rivers Pittsburgh
- Valley Forge Casino and Resort
- Wind Creek Bethlehem, which opened its first sportsbook powered by Betfred last month
Rivers Casino Philadelphia (the only casino within the city limits) and South Philadelphia Race and Sportsbook, which both closed on Nov. 20, will remain closed until at least Tuesday, Jan. 15, under current restrictions by Philadelphia to slow COVID-19 cases.
The first casino shutdown took place on March 17 when all 13 casinos were closed at the start of the pandemic. The lockdown lasted for 126 days, until July 17, when Rivers Casino Philadelphia resumed operations.
RELATED:Pennsylvania November Sports Betting Handle Down 6.4%
Coming off an October state record for monthly sports wagering handle, Pennsylvania saw a 6.4% decrease in November. The $491.9 million in total handle, with bets placed both online (91%) and at retail books, was down from October’s $525.8 million.
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@loumonacoLou Monaco had been East Coast Scene columnist for Gaming Today in Las Vegas since June 2019, covering the East Coast sportsbook scene with emphasis on NJ and PA. He also currently is a part-time writer for the high school sports department for NJ Advanced Media (NJ.com) in Iselin, NJ. Lou has over 30 years sports experience with previous stints at ESPN SportsTicker, Daily Racing Form and Oddschecker.... Read MoreLou Monaco had been East Coast Scene columnist for Gaming Today in Las Vegas since June 2019, covering the East Coast sportsbook scene with emphasis on NJ and PA. He also currently is a part-time writer for the high school sports department for NJ Advanced Media (NJ.com) in Iselin, NJ. Lou has over 30 years sports experience with previous stints at ESPN SportsTicker, Daily Racing Form and Oddschecker.... Read MoreARTICLES YOU MAY LIKE
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On April 16, President Donald Trump and his team unveiled a multi-phase plan to restart the economy. Where the casino industry fits in with that plan remains to be sorted out. In the case of Pennsylvania, reopening is in the hands of Governor Tom Wolf.
Unlike Atlantic City, where nine casinos fall within a 48-block radius, Pennsylvania’s 12 gaming halls are spread out around a very large state. Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs in Wilkes-Barre lies in the northeast section of the state. The Meadows Casino sits in the southwest corner. Rivers is on the Philadelphia waterfront, and Wind Creek in the Rust Belt city of Bethlehem.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) manages it all. While brick-and-mortar properties shut down last month, iGaming is the one area in a growth phase. And for the PGCB, work goes on.
“Our staff continues to be involved in a diversity of work, including receiving and reviewing gaming license applications, completing background investigations of individuals and gaming entities, issuing licenses, addressing enforcement matters, assisting individuals with gambling problems and receiving requests for new games and wagers,” and myriad other activities,” PGCB Communications Director Doug Harbach told GGB News.
The board held its first live-streamed teleconference April 1. Another is scheduled for Wednesday, April 29, either in person or live, depending on how the current crisis unfolds.
It goes without saying that the casino closures have created a revenue hole for Pennsylvania. Slot revenues for March fell from $226.6 million in 2019 to $87.6 million, while table games declined from $82.5 million in 2019 to $33.1 million.
Based on these figures, slot revenues dropped $139 million, while table game revenues decreased $49.4 million. That represents a combined loss of $188.4 million. Add April 2019’s figures of $277.7 million, and the amount of gaming revenue lost to the coronavirus pandemic tops $466 million.
For every dollar produced as revenue from slot machine play, 54 cents is returned to Pennsylvanians, with 34 percent of that going to property tax relief. On the table game side, 16 cents goes to the state, most of which ends up in the general fund.
Do the math. Lots of money is gone, and May hasn’t even started.
When the time comes to unlock the doors, whether on May 1 or later, the board will work with casino operators to ensure all systems are go, and the public and employees are safe.
“It won’t be a manner in which the doors will swing open and the casino picks up operating as it did the day it closed,” Harbach said. “There will be logical steps in all openings, along with making sure necessary mitigation plans are in place to make certain the environment is safe.”
Those plans will be made in concert with operators, but with no way to know when social distancing measures can be eased, it’s impossible to have final plans in place yet, he said.
Still to be answered: how gradual will the openings be? When will restaurants and entertainment venues open? When will operators reach full capacity?
When Will The Pa Casinos Reopen
Mohegan Sun President and General Manager Jeff Hamilton said he’s awaiting guidance from state officials to formulate a plan for his property.
When Will Pa Casinos Reopen
“We’re continuing to work with local and state authorities to closely monitor health updates and protocols,” Hamilton said. “Our primary goal right now is to maintain the safety of our community.”