Author: Casino Connection Staff

To contain the spread of the coronavirus, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy ordered the closure of all Atlantic City casinos effective March 16, 2020. As of this writing there is no set date for re-opening. As a way to keep the public informed, Casino Connection has listed the cancellations and policies for each Atlantic City casino.

BORGATA CASINO HOTEL & SPA

In compliance with Governor Murphy’s order, Borgata has temporarily suspended operations. All hotel/dining reservations, casino promotions, and events have been canceled as a result. Daily poker tournaments, the Borgata Spring Poker Open poker tournament, and poker promotions are canceled.

Borgata’s Customer Care team can be reached at 609.317.1000 from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., daily.

Sports Betting Transactions Update
Customers who have placed bets on an individual or upcoming game and/or event that is ultimately canceled or one that has already been canceled will receive a full refund.

For bets placed at Moneyline Bar & Book or the Race & Sports Book at Borgata, guests can bring their bet slips back to either location upon reopening to receive a refund. Tickets can also be redeemed by mail. The instructions and mailing address appears on the backside of wagering tickets.

For bets placed within the BetMGM or Borgata Sports mobile app, customers have been refunded for games that have already been canceled.

Upcoming Events Update
Borgata apologizes for any inconvenience this causes ticket holders.

CANCELLED: Orders purchased for cancelled events with a credit card will be refunded automatically to the credit card used for purchase. Please allow up to 30 days for this refund to reflect with your financial institution.

For guests who utilized a 3rd party to secure tickets, please reach out to your original point of purchase for information regarding a credit. Please reach out to our Box Office team at boxoffice@theborgata.com for additional inquiries.

CASH TICKET PURCHASERS CLICK HERE: https://www.theborgata.com/updates/cash-tix

RESCHEDULED: If an event is postponed and has been rescheduled with a new date, fans will be able to attend the newly rescheduled date with their existing tickets. Should fans no longer be able to attend the rescheduled date, they may request a refund at their original point of purchase.

UPDATES COMING SOON: Guests are advised to hold onto their tickets pending updated show information.

CAESARS ENTERTAINMENT
Caesars, Bally’s and Harrah’s Casinos

Caesars Entertainment Corporation has temporarily shut down its owned properties in North America, consistent with directives from various government bodies.

“It has become clear that we must take this extreme action to help contain the virus and protect the safety and well-being of our team members and guests,” said Caesars Entertainment CEO Tony Rodio.

Caesars is working to ensure a smooth closing process throughout its network and looks forward to welcoming back team members and guests as soon as appropriate. Caesars recognizes the disruption that these property closures will have on team members and is committed to helping employees manage the impact.

An update on property closures throughout the Caesars network can be found at https://www.caesars.com/corporate/newsroom/press-releases.

Hotel Reservations
All hotel reservations during the closure period will be cancelled automatically. Any prepayments will be refunded within the next few days. Please visit caesars.com/book/my-reservation for more information.

Caesars Sportsbook
In response to official game and/or tournament cancellations, Caesars Sportsbooks will refund any associated wagers. “Futures” wagers will remain active until the leagues issue guidance on how currently suspended seasons will conclude. For wagers made in-person at a Sportsbook, please refer to the back of the ticket for mail-in instructions. If the wager was made on the app, the funds will automatically be returned.

Caesars Entertainment Live Entertainment
All ticketed live entertainment held in Caesars Entertainment venues in Las Vegas are suspending performances through at least April 30, 2020. Information on refunds and exchanges for affected dates are available here.

https://www.caesars.com/corporate/coronavirus-guest-information/frequently-asked-questions

GOLDEN NUGGET ATLANTIC CITY

Golden Nugget Atlantic City is temporarily closed in compliance with the order by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. At this time, Golden Nugget Atlantic City is taking room reservations beginning April 13.

In the event they are unable to reopen April 13, Golden Nugget representatives will contact guests with reservations. Please check back for updates.

Online gaming will remain available for Golden Nugget guests at www.goldennuggetcasino.com.

HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO ATLANTIC CITY

In compliance with Gov. Phil Murphy’s order, Hard Rock Atlantic City has temporarily suspended operations until further notice.

Wild Card Rewards
Hard Rock have frozen Comp Dollar expiration. Therefore, you will not lose earned comp dollars during this time of closure.

Hard Rock will pro-rate your Tier Point earnings based on the length of its closure to ensure you are not penalized. Upon re-opening, they will offer a 2x Tier Point promotion that will run through May 31, 2020.

Entertainment
All concerts and events have either been canceled or re-scheduled until June or later. For a complete list of live events visit: https://www.hardrockhotels.com/atlantic-city/event-calendar

All canceled show are will be refunded at the point of purchase.

Hold on to the tickets you purchased, they will be valid for the new show date unless otherwise noted. If a show is postponed and you can not attend the new date you are able to be refunded for tickets purchased through Ticketmaster, by calling Ticketmaster at 1-800-653-8000.

Hotel Reservations
For all existing reservations or future bookings through 4/30/2020, no penalties will be charged to cancel these reservations.

For re-booking an existing reservation, Hard Rock hotel rates fluctuate based on season and availability. They cannot guarantee you will get the same rate when re-booking for a later date.

RESORTS CASINO ATLANTIC CITY

Hotel Reservations
All reservations booked through April 30, 2020 have been cancelled and your credit card will not be charged. For Non Refundable reservations, your credit card will be refunded within 7-10 business days.

Resorts is still taking future hotel reservations. At this time, there is no cancellation fee on future reservations. To book a future reservation visit ResortsAC.com.

Entertainment & Eateries
Restaurants and bars continue to be temporarily closed, along with the concert venue. The Dennis DeYoung concert on April 24, 2020 has been cancelled.

Star Club Membership
All comp dollars, cashback, and card tier levels will not expire while Resorts is closed. New expiration dates will be communicated when they reopen.

Resorts looks forward to welcoming you back soon and will keep you updated regarding the opening date and upcoming events and promotions.

Resorts Online Play
Guests can still play their favorite slot and table games online at ResortsCasino.com
Join today and use code WIN1000 for a 100% bonus match on your first deposit.

TROPICANA CASINO HOTEL ATLANTIC CITY

Eldorado Resorts announced that, in accordance with New Jersey Governor Murphy’s order, it will temporarily suspend casino operations at the Tropicana Atlantic City. The Company is continuing to monitor developments related to COVID-19 and reinforcing our policies as necessary.

Hotel Reservations
Tropicana is accepting reservations for June and look forward to seeing you then.

Entertainment
For shows that have been postponed, Tropicana advises you to hold onto your tickets pending updated show information as they will be honored at the rescheduled event.

Guests who would like a refund can reach out to the original point of sale for a refund. Please reach out to Tropicana’s Box Office Supervisor at 609-340-4000 x7328 for additional inquiries.

Offers, including comp tickets, are based on your casino play at that time. If you maintain your status, you will receive comp tickets for the new event date.

Offers and Comp Dollars
Daily TROP Advantage® offers including, but not limited to, bonus slot dollars, gift cards, free gifts, etc. are subject to cancellations or changes at any given time.

Comp dollars will not be expiring during the closure. There will not be any tier downgrades while the property is closed.

Contact Information
Call center will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 1-800-THE-TROP

OCEAN CASINO RESORT

During this time of uncertainty, Ocean Casino Resort wants to put your mind at ease and help you stay connected.

Hotel Reservations
Due to the temporary suspension of operations, Ocean Casino Resort will be canceling previously made hotel reservations through April 30th. If you made a deposit for your reservation, it will be refunded within 7-10 business days.

Future Cancellation Policy – If you decide to change your travel plans, Ocean team members will be happy to assist you with modifying your plans by rescheduling or canceling your reservation without fees outside the 48 hours cancelation period.

All cash rooms will be refunded to you for any canceled date. You may rebook new dates with updated rates that fluctuate depending on seasonality.

Comp room offers are sent out every month. April monthly offers allows you to book for May and June. May offers will be sent soon and will allow you to book through July. (Offers fluctuate based on seasonality and demand.)

Comp Dollars & Rewards
Comp dollar and Same-Day Free play expirations will not occur during this temporary suspension of operation. Your earned balances will remain intact upon re-opening. Your balance information is available for you to view via the Player Portal located at https://sso.theoceanac.com/account/login

Ocean Wow Rewards – Tier status earned will remain valid through September 30, 2020, however, you can earn points to upgrade your status when Ocean Resort reopens. Learn more about tier levels at https://www.theoceanac.com/rewards/

Previously mailed gifts, events, and entertainment missed due to the temporary suspension of operations are being reviewed and the staff is diligently working to reschedule those events as dates permit.

Entertainment
Jay Leno – April 3 show has been rescheduled to next year – May 7, 2021.
Melissa Etheridge – April 4 show has been rescheduled to September 5, 2020.
Terry Fator has been postponed and we’ll be announcing a new date shortly.

Those who purchased tickets are encouraged to hold onto their tickets and those who previously made reservations for complimentary tickets, your reserved tickets will carry forward to the new dates.

NON-CASINO HOTELS REMAIN OPEN

Claridge Hotel Atlantic City
The Claridge Hotel is still open for business and would be happy to accommodate you with any of your lodging needs and for meals they have both takeout and room service available.

For reservations please call our toll free number 866-431-4430 or visit https://www.claridge.com/

Showboat Hotel

Showboat is open and offering 15% off Stay. For information and reservations visit: https://www.showboathotelac.com

Nevada’s tourism-dependent economy has weathered its share of 21st century crises𑁋the dot-com crash, 9/11, the global financial meltdown and the Great Recession that followed and the 2017 mass shooting on the Las Vegas Strip. None of them compares to the destructive whirlwind of Covid-19.

The Nevada Resort Association, the gaming industry’s lobbying arm, described the threat in stark terms in a letter to the state’s congressional delegation.

“Nevada depends more on tourism than Alaska does on oil; Wyoming does on coal mining; or, New York City does on the financial sector,” association President Virginia Valentine wrote. “Las Vegas, the state’s largest economic center, is more dependent on tourism than Detroit is on auto manufacturing; Seattle is on aerospace; or, Nashville is on music and entertainment.”

Just how dependent was painfully clear last week in an assessment from Las Vegas-based economic research firm Applied Analysis, which stated that gaming and tourism support more than 450,000 jobs in the state𑁋one of every three𑁋while the taxes they pay annually account for some 40 percent of Nevada’s general fund. Combined, gaming and tourism are responsible for 45 percent of the state’s aggregate economic output𑁋$75 billion a year, in dollar terms, according to the NRA.

The engine that drives that output is gaming, which generated $12 billion in casino revenue alone in 2019. Most of it, nearly $7 billion, was generated on the Las Vegas Strip, the largest casino market in the U.S. and the second largest in the world after Macau.

As it stands, the Strip and the rest of the state’s 200-plus casinos are closed by order of Governor Steve Sisolak for at least 30 days, a move aimed at trying to contain the spread of the virus and one that’s thrust some 320,000 supported jobs, 260,000 of them direct jobs, into limbo.

Cancellations in the conventions and meetings sector, the other key component of the Las Vegas economy, have already approached losses of $2 billion, “and subsequent events are generating losses multiple times this in the coming weeks,” Valentine said.

In the meantime, the major Las Vegas casino companies are continuing to pay their workers, but they’re burning through millions of dollars a day to do so.

Some, like MGM Resorts International, Caesars Entertainment, Wynn Resorts and Boyd Gaming, say they’ll maintain full- and part-time salaries for at least two weeks, and health benefits for longer.

But then, as Charles Protell, president and CFO of Golden Entertainment, put it, “The longer this shutdown lasts, the greater the impact it will have.”

The federal stimulus package, known as the CARES Act, will give the nation’s businesses, casinos included, some relief in the form of tax breaks and loans. But there’s no telling what happens if the epidemic continues for a second month, or a third. As of last week, Covid-19 was known to have infected more than 81,000 people nationwide, the most confirmed cases of any country, and claimed more than 1,000 lives.

Applied Analysis called the threat “unprecedented” and “far-reaching,” with a “very real potential to cripple the Nevada economy.”

“Based on current information and over two decades of industry-specific expertise, we believe that the industry is at risk of losing $39 billion over the next 12 to 18 months. As a result, 320,000 employees relying on $1.3 billion in wages and salary payments each month are at immediate risk, numbers nearly twice that reported during the peak of the Great Recession.”

Job losses in Nevada from the 2008-09 recession totaled around 186,000, and the aftershocks lasted for years. The state, an epicenter of the housing crash that helped sparked the recession, was still leading the nation in new foreclosures as late as 2015, according to RealtyTrac statistics cited by CDC Gaming Reports.

The state has been pushing ever since to diversify its tourist- and gaming-centric economy, albeit with mixed results. While the crisis it faces now is far worse than a decade ago, in all its 90 years as a legal industry, gaming in Nevada has never closed. The state could be looking at the loss of 5 percent of its private sector jobs, according to a recent study by the Economic Policy Institute.

Then there’s the public-sector fallout from the loss to state and local government coffers of more than $1 billion in tax revenue. That’s just from gaming. It’s not counting the certain plunge in sales tax revenue and other essential sources of funding.

It’s coming at a time when the demand on those sources, from unemployment checks to Medicaid coverage to fire, police and emergency services will likely never be greater.

The state’s rainy day fund contains more than $400 million in addition to other surplus funds, but as state Senator Joyce Woodhouse, co-chair of the legislature’s Budget Committee, said, “Of course there will be a very significant impact on the stage budget. Our hotels are empty of guests, and now with the shopping malls and all of that closed too, it has a huge impact.”

Meanwhile, Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman has made no secret of her belief that Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak erred too far on the side of health and safety when he called for casinos to close.

Las Vegas is not like New York, Los Angeles or San Francisco, she said. Shutting down businesses for more than two weeks will cause “untenable hardship.”

“Our economy depends on tourism and being open for dining, entertainment, gaming, sports,” she said. “Forty-two million people come to us every year as tourists. Our own 3 million Nevadans depend on the income from that tourism. I know we, they, cannot survive any total shutdown of the economy beyond the immediate week or two.”

Sisolak, needless to say, was not amused.

“Your life and the life of your neighbors and family members will always be more valuable to me than the perceived and mistaken economic gain we have by cutting this isolation period short or by waiting one more day to get serious,” he said in a statement addressing Nevada’s citizens. “I am not asking them anymore. I am telling them they must close their doors or they will face the consequences.”

“Elected officials,” he added, should “understand the severity of the situation they are facing and become part of the solution.”

In a letter to state tribes, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt proposed a deal to end the standoff about gaming compacts. The compacts expired on December 31, 2019, and Stitt wants them renegotiated. The tribes claim the compacts renewed automatically, setting up this showdown.

Stitt asked for 5 percent of gross gaming revenues. Last year the tribes paid between 4 percent and 6 percent, netting the state $150 million. The letter also proposes the legalization of sports betting, with the state taking 2 percent of the gross revenue. But the state also wants approval of casino vendors and a rule that requires the tribes to include a certain number of Class III games on their floors. Class II games are not taxable under federal regulations.

The tribes reacted badly to the letter, and claimed the governor was using the coronavirus pandemic as leverage.

“We are disappointed in the action taken by Governor Stitt through one of his attorneys to take advantage of tribes as they focus on protecting their tribal citizens and non-tribal citizens during this pandemic,” said Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association Chairman Matthew L. Morgan in a statement. “Since July we have made it clear that we are open to renegotiating rates as outlined in Part 11 of the compacts.   Any party may request to renegotiate rates and exclusivity. Governor Stitt, however, has steadfastly rejected that framework, dismissed the tribal position, insisting on tossing overboard an intergovernmental agreement that has worked well for all Oklahomans.

“This letter is yet another unsuccessful attempt to divide the tribes. The letter confirms the real intent of Governor Stitt is to destroy the tribal interest outlined in the existing compacts. The tribal leaders who received the letter reject the proposal as disrespectful and disingenuous.

“Perhaps more than anything, though, we are dismayed Governor Stitt would exploit the current pandemic for these purposes. Consistent with the advice of public health professionals, the tribal governments have suspended gaming operations to help blunt the spread of COVID-19. Nothing is more important to the Tribes than working together to fight this deadly virus. Public health is our main focus at this time.”

Meanwhile, Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy DeGiusti recently extended the filing deadline by two months and postponed a hearing indefinitely due to the coronavirus. DeGiusti also delayed a conference to review the case’s status and scheduling that had been set for April 3. And extended the deadline for mediation from March 31 to May 31.

Three Oklahoma tribes sued Stitt on December 31, asking for a declaration that their 15-year gaming compacts automatically renewed January 1. Stitt argued the compacts expired January 1 and gaming taking place at the tribes’ casinos is illegal. Stitt has said he wants to renegotiate the compacts to raise exclusivity rates from the current 4 percent to 6 percent graduated rate tribes pay for Class III gaming machines and 10 percent rate they on table games.

The Cherokee, Chickasaw and Choctaw nations filed the lawsuit, and since have been joined by the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and others. That list includes the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes which recently filed another suit in federal court claiming the state reneged on its exclusivity agreement by allowing the state lottery to let players participate in online second-chance promotions. As a result, the tribe said it is no longer legally obligated to share a portion of gaming revenue with the state and is entitled to damages from the state for violating the gaming compact.

Wichita Tribes President Terri Parton said, “Even if the Lottery Commission didn’t expand its online operations, this new form of electronic gaming not only violates the exclusivity guaranteed to tribal gaming operations under the tribal-state gaming compacts, but likely violates federal laws controlling gaming in Indian country.

“The Lottery Commission’s plans threaten gaming operations and the educational funding they provide for the state, Our support for education has not wavered but if violations of our compact continue, we may have no choice but to redirect our payments to the local schools near us. At least then we will know the money will make it to the classroom where our children and our neighbors’ children need it most.”

Penn National Gaming announced last week a coronavirus survival plan that includes the sale of the Tropicana Las Vegas and a planned casino in Pennsylvania. The buyer is Gaming & Leisure Properties Inc. (GLPI), the company’s main real estate investment trust (REIT) partner.

Penn National CEO Jay Snowden, who recently succeeded Tim Wilmott in the leadership role, said the nationwide pandemic, which has closed virtually all casinos and other non-essential businesses in the United States, forced the company’s hand. But Penn had publicly discussed selling the Tropicana, its only resort on the Las Vegas Strip, during quarterly earnings calls. As recently as February, Snowden said the 1,500-room resort was attracting “unsolicited” interest.

Under the terms of the deal, Penn National will continue to operate the Vegas property as well as a Pennsylvania “mini-casino,” now under construction in Morgantown, paying $337.5 million in rent. The deal also gives Penn National the option to take over the operations of GLPI’s wholly-owned and operated Hollywood Casino in Perryville, Maryland, according to CDC Gaming Reports.

Penn would receive a share of the sale proceeds if the Strip resort is sold within two years.

“This is a win-win agreement that significantly enhances GLPI’s certainty from the master leases with Penn National,” GLPI CEO Peter Carlino said in a statement. “It assists Penn National in meeting its GLPI rent obligations while helping to create a stronger liquidity roadmap for Penn.”

“We greatly appreciate the cooperation, creativity, and partnership shown by GLPI during this challenging time,” Snowden said in a statement. “While this transaction will help to relieve liquidity pressure in terms of rent obligations, we are committed to taking further steps to reduce our ongoing operating expenses in order to ensure we have a healthy business to return to when we are able to re-open our doors.”

In related news, Snowden said the company will continue to pay Tropicana’s laid-off 26,000 employees through March 31. “This decision was extremely difficult to make for all of us at Penn,” Snowden said in a letter to Penn employees. “Penn National is a family, and we deeply regret the hardship this will place on you and your loved ones. We are extremely motivated and focused on re-opening our properties as soon as it is safe and legal to do so.”

Snowden said Penn will maintain medical benefits for its workers through June 30 for those employees enrolled in the company’s health plans.

In a surprising development Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt has ordered that the reservation set aside for the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe in Massachusetts be “disestablished.” While the federal recognition for the tribe remains unchanged, the land-into-trust decision reverses a previous decision made by the department to take the land into trust.

“Today’s action was cruel and it was unnecessary. The Secretary is under no court order to take our land out of trust,” Tribal Chairman Cedric Cromwell wrote in a post on the tribe’s website.

A spokesman for DOI says, however, it was a court decision that spurred the action.

“In Fall 2015, Interior issued a decision approving a trust acquisition for the tribe,” said Connor Swanson according to the WBUR radio. “Subsequently, both a federal district court and a federal circuit court panel comprised of former Supreme Court Justice David Souter, former Chief Judge Sandra Lynch, and Senior Judge Kermit Lipez, found there to be no statutory authority for this decision. The tribe did not petition for a panel rehearing or a rehearing en banc. On March 19th, the court of appeals issued its mandate, which requires Interior to rescind its earlier decision. This decision does not affect the federal recognition status of the tribe, only Interior’s statutory authority to accept the land in trust. Rescission of the decision will return ownership of the property to the tribe.”

Jean-Luc Pierite, head of the North American Indian Center of Boston, emailed the tribe and called the decision an “existential crisis” not only for the Mashpees but for every other tribe recognized after 1934. He said the decision was based on the 2009 Supreme Court ruling Carcieri v. Salazar, which stated that the federal government cannot take land into trust for tribes that weren’t “under federal jurisdiction” in the year 1934.

“For the federal government, it could mean a situation in which hundreds of tribes seek reaffirmation through an act of Congress, as the Massachusetts delegation has done,” Pierite said.

Massachusetts Congressman. Bill Keating, who introduced a federal bill to give the Mashpees recognition, called the decision one of the most cruel and nonsensical acts I have seen since coming to Congress.”

Keating has co-sponsored a bill with Oklahoma Congressman Tim Cole that would clarify the Carcieri decision and ensure that this kind of “disestablishment’ does not happen again.

The Mashpees have been trying to build a casino in Taunton for many years but have been blocked at many points by lawsuits and rulings by the Interior Department. The casino was to have been funded by Malaysia’s Genting Corp., which has now written off the investment.

On Friday, March 20, Illinois Governor J. B. Pritzker issued an executive order to “stay at home” through April 7 in response to the coronavirus pandemic. As a result, the Illinois Gaming Board extended its order requiring all casinos and video gaming terminals to shut down through April 8. Originally the gaming commission shut down all casinos and video gaming terminals from March 15 through March 29.

The gaming board stated, “The health and safety of patrons, gaming industry employees, gaming board staff and all others in Illinois is the gaming board’s top priority. The gaming board will continue to monitor the situation and update licensees and the public as warranted if any further extension is necessary.”

On March 9, Rivers Casino in Des Plaines became the first in Illinois to open a sportsbook, the BetRivers Sportsbook. Argosy Casino in Alton planned to open its sportsbook March 16. Officials at both casinos said they would pay employees during the closure.

Until recently, Virginia was one of the few U.S. states where casinos were banned. But about three weeks ago, legislators approved bills allowing casino resorts in five cities: Richmond, Bristol, Danville, Norfolk and Portsmouth. Then, within days, the coronavirus pandemic forced nearly all U.S. casinos to close.

But, state Senator Louise Lucas said, “We have time on our side. I’m the eternal optimist.” Governor Ralph Northam has not signed the legislation, and voter referendums still will have to be held in the host cities, followed by a vetting process before licenses can be granted and construction can begin.

Currently Norfolk, Bristol and Portsmouth already have either formal or informal agreements with potential casino operators. Danville is considering proposals from seen possible operators. Caesars Entertainment spokesman Richard Broome said, “Caesars will continue to pursue a gaming license in Virginia and hopes to build and operate a casino in Danville.”

The owners of Colonial Downs and the Pamunkey Indian Tribe have expressed interest in a potential Richmond casino and the tribe also hopes to develop a waterfront casino resort in Norfolk. In a statement, tribal officials said, “The Pamunkey Tribe is eager to move forward with its plans to build a world-class resort and casino in Norfolk and ready to respond to Richmond’s Request for Proposals to bring a casino to the River City. The tribe will keep profits in Virginia through reinvestment locally and will provide tremendous benefits to these regions of the Commonwealth for decades to come.”

The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act also requires a Class III compact if the tribe intends to offer slot machines and table games.

Virginia Secretary of Finance Aubrey Layne said no one, including lawmakers, has considered the coronavirus’ long-term impact. He questions whether gamblers still would want to spend time and money on crowded casino floors. “Certainly, there’s going to have to be some additional scrutiny. Casinos are not the panacea everybody thinks they are,” Layne said.

In Nebraska, the coronavirus has forced organizers of a petition drive to legalize casinos to stop collecting signatures to place the issue on the November ballot. But organizers said they’ve already gathered a large portion of the 121,000 signatures that will be required by the July 2 deadline.

Lance Morgan, president and chief executive officer at Ho-Chunk Inc., the group behind the petition drive, said, “We’re within shouting distance of getting what we need. It won’t take a huge effort to get there. It’s still snowing and cold out there and people are nervous, so it makes sense to take a little hiatus.”

Campaign organizers said they already had slowed their signature-gathering activities during the winter. They simply decided to extend that break for a few more weeks in response to the coronavirus and hope to resume collecting signatures later this spring.

Because legalizing casinos requires a constitutional amendment, the petition campaign needs signatures from at least 10 percent of the state’s registered voters, or about 121,000. Signatures also are needed from at least 5 percent of voters in 38 of the state’s 93 counties.

Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen said he does not plan to extend the deadline for submitting signatures. “There has been time prior to the spread of this virus for those seeking signatures to do so,” Evnen said.

Morgan said he believes legalizing casinos will be an easy sell, based on polling numbers. He said a study showed Nebraska spent $11.1 billion at Iowa casinos since they opened in the 1990s. Opponents include Governor Pete Ricketts who has said expanded gambling will lead to societal problems.

According to Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, the city is losing $600,000 a day in casino revenue and has spent $11 million in response to the coronavirus. Under normal circumstances, the city’s three casinos contribute $200 million annually to the city’s $1 billion general fund.

In addition to the three Motown casinos—the MGM Grand, Greektown and MotorCity—Michigan’s other 23 casinos also have closed. The properties could lose a total of $1 billion-plus if they remain shuttered for the eight weeks recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Detroit’s recently opened sportsbooks also are closed; these closures are estimated to cost the three casinos more than $10 million in revenue. Wagerers may return betting slips for games that didn’t happen, as well as for future over-unders.

Duggan said the loss of casino revenue “is something we’re going have to deal with. Right now, we’re not under any pressure that any other city or state or any business isn’t under. But we gotta beat this virus, and then when we beat the virus we’ll deal with our financial problems.”

The three Detroit casinos have pledged to pay their 19,681 employees at least through the end of the month.

On March 23, Michigan Governor Christie Whitmer issued a shelter-in-place order limiting travel outside home for at least three weeks. All three casinos have donated thousands of pounds of food to local food banks; MotorCity and MGM Grand also donated thousands of gloves to DDOT bus drivers and Greektown offering its space for makeshift hospital use.

Prior to the outbreak of the coronavirus, about 14,000 unregulated video gambling machines were operating in Missouri gas stations, clubs and bars. Since the outbreak, the state’s 13 licensed casinos have shut down, at least through March 30. But the number of video gambling machines still in use is unknown. A reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch found several available at gas stations in Columbia.

State Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz said, “I don’t expect them to just voluntarily shut off. They’re willing to break the law as it is.” Missouri Gaming Commission Chairman Mike Leara said, “I don’t know that the gas station machines would be restricted or shut down because they are not a gathering of people. If they were under our jurisdiction we would have considered shutting those down.”

Legislation to license and regulate the machines has stalled in the Senate. Now it’s uncertain when the measure will be taken up again. Because the machines are unregulated, any revenue they generate does not help fund education or problem gambling services, nor are they required to follow rules regarding acceptable payouts.

Operators claim the games are legal under Missouri law because a player can press a button to see the outcome of a wager in advance; the player must play the losing hand for the opportunity to win again.

One of the largest companies in unregulated video gambling machines is Torch Electronics, based in Wildwood, Missouri, which donated $20,000 to Governor Mike Parson’s election campaign and retains three lobbyists in the Capitol. Torch spokesman Gregg Keller said the company’s machines are legal, “so naturally they continue to be enjoyed by Missourians” during the coronavirus outbreak.

The Linn County prosecutor sued Torch for felony illegal gambling charges; a hearing is scheduled for April 23. Another illegal gambling case against a Kansas-based operator is pending in Platte County.

Although most of the U.S. gaming world is shut down due to the coronavirus, the World Series of Poker is still holding out hope that the tournament will begin May 23 in Las Vegas.

WSOP is still making preparations to begin the tournament at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. WSOP Vice President and spokesman Seth Palansky told the Casino City Times last week, “We’ve been taking it day by day, and at this point, it’s hour by hour. We’re still more than two months away, so as of now, we’re planning on running as scheduled.”

However, all live WSOP Circuit events have been cancelled through the end of April and the event is totally dependent on whether players are willing to take the chance to travel to Las Vegas or sit it out.

The tournament has come under considerable pressure from those who think it should be cancelled this year because, in the words of one article headline, the WSOP “is a petri dish for disease.”

Palansky says the event will act responsibly. “We’ll do the right thing,” he said. “We’ll follow the guidelines from the medical experts and make a decision when the time comes. But for now, we remain optimistic. It would be great if we’re able to host it. It will be sad if we can’t. But life will go on either way.”

Just because the opening series might have to be cancelled doesn’t mean that the more than 70 events between May 23-July 15 would all have to cancel. Many players feel that an abbreviated series would be better than none at all.

Some credit WSOP with being practical by taking all contingencies into account and being prepared to spring into action should most or some of the restrictions be lifted.

There is also the possibility of holding some of the events online. WSOP is already holding 14 “gold bracelet” online contests. It could expand that amount. It is not gone unnoticed that since the shutdowns of casinos began that the online poker rooms offered by WSOP.com in the states where it is legal are higher than ever before.

Palansky said, “We almost can’t even keep up with the demand,” he said. “A lot of new player registrations, we’re adding tournaments and we’ve seen peak capacity, bigger than we’ve ever seen.”

He told Casino City, “And if something were to happen with the 2020 World Series of Poker as far as the live events, we now feel even more confident in putting together something online.”

Pennsylvania’s Bucks County is acting to help local tourism and hospitality companies that have been hardest-hit by the ongoing coronavirus crisis. The Bucks County Redevelopment Authority announced a “rapid response loan program” that will use gaming revenue taxes collected from the local Parx Casino to provide emergency zero-interest loans to eligible tourism and hospitality companies within the county.

The agency has set aside $600,000 from the revenues collected as a Parx host community to provide loans to companies in the Lower Bucks County communities of Bensalem, Bristol borough and township, Hulmeville, Langhorne, Langhorne Manor, Lower Southampton, Middletown and Penndel.

Businesses can apply for loans of up to $8,000 under the program, Bucks County Commissioner Bob Harvie told the Bucks County Courier Times. The plan is to process loans within five business days from application.

“We know the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic will be very serious and that it has the potential to ruin the hard work and dreams of business owners and their employees in Bucks County,” Harvie told the Courier Times. “As the county commissioners continue to develop other economic assistance initiatives, we hope this loan program we are launching with the redevelopment authority can provide some immediate relief.

“This program is a great example of how the redevelopment authority can quickly and efficiently partner with county government,” Schafer said. “I’m extremely proud of the work that has been done by redevelopment authority staff, along with county staff, for creating and implementing this program in less than a week.”

“These critical funds will help businesses survive and sustain while we work to defeat the coronavirus,” state Senator Tommy Tomlinson of Bensalem (where Parx is located) told the newspaper.

Foxwood Resort Casino’s furloughing of workers due to the coronavirus came when the casino was in the midst of negotiations with its dealers union Local 2121 of the United Auto Workers. The contract expired in December.

The casino has been closed for nearly two weeks and that could be extended. The Connecticut casino, one of two Indian-operated casinos in the state, sent home more than 5,000 workers. The union represents 1,200 of those.

Mohegan Sun also has closed after being urged to do so for several days by Governor Ned Lamont.

After the casino closed the union told its members that Foxwoods had not agreed to pay them while they are gone. The union is helping members apply for unemployment.

John DelMonte, Local 2121 president, issued this statement: “Our local is very disappointed Foxwoods refused to negotiate paid leave for our members in the week prior to announcing the inevitable shutdown.” He added, “We were proactive in seeking their assistance early on, and they instead chose to be reactive.”

DelMonte said the union got 24 hours’ notice before the workers were furloughed without pay.

Foxwoods President and CEO John James responded with this statement: “These are unprecedented times for all of us and we are making business decisions based on a variety of factors, including the safety of our Team Members and guests as well as the requirements and/or guidance of executive orders/requests from the governor and other state leaders.”

He added, “We recognize and respect our duty to bargain and intend to continue that obligation as things progress. However, we also have to be nimble as things develop rapidly. We value and respect all of our Team Members and want to do what is best for them and the business such that we can all come out of this in a manner that allows us to recover.”

Unlike Foxwoods, Mohegan Sun announced that its furloughed employees “will continue to receive health benefits, access to key services and regular communication remains in effect as well. The top priority of our leadership team is to return all affected team members upon a re-open, at which point we have the ultimate confidence we’ll return as strong as ever.”