COVID-19 cases in Pennsylvania are at record highs. On Nov. 13, the Pennsylvania Department of Health reported that there were 5,531 new positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 254,387. It is the fourth consecutive day that the state has reported a record number of cases.

Casino Pittsburgh is located at the former Bon-Ton department store at Westmoreland Mall in Westmoreland County, just about 30 miles from Pittsburgh. It features 750 slot machines and 30 table games. Pennsylvania’s casinos stayed shut for months after they were ordered to close this past March when the first. HARRISBURG, DAUPHIN COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) – Following Governor Tom Wolf’s order on Monday afternoon, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board announced the closure of casinos across Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania is the nation’s third-largest gaming market behind Nevada and New Jersey. Online gaming and mobile sports betting will continue during the land-based casino closures. The earliest they. The first round of mandatory Pennsylvania casino closures lasted three and a half months, from March 16 to July 2. The Meadows Racetrack and Casino and Rivers Casino Pittsburgh were the first to reopen on June 9.

Play Pennsylvania asked the PA Department of Health if the rising numbers meant a return to the color-coded phases and possible temporary closures for casinos in Pennsylvania.

A representative responded:

“There is no plan at this time to return to the red, yellow, green mitigation steps and stay-at-home order that occurred in the spring.”

Some tips to slow the spread

The PA Department of Health reiterated that it was very concerned about the increase in cases. The representative said:

“We currently have protections in place, like wearing a mask and limits on large gatherings. Pennsylvanians can stop the spread. It is all of our responsibility to do the right thing. These are things that we can continue to do to stop the spread of COVID-19:

• Teleworking.
• Isolating or quarantining if you test positive or have exposure to someone who has.
• Businesses limiting capacity to 50%.”

More restrictions for Philadelphia?

Of the record number of cases reported on Friday, 1,158 were from Philadelphia. Mayor Jim Kenney’s office did not provide any indication of what its “changes in restrictions” might be and said they are still being finalized. Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley earlier this week said all restrictions are being considered, even a complete lockdown, according to Yahoo! News.

Rivers Casino Philadelphia is currently the only casino within the city limits. Live! Casino Philadelphia is expected to open in early 2021.

Rivers Philadelphia closed in mid-March and reopened on July 17. It experienced the longest closure of all 12 casinos in the commonwealth.

We must do everything we can to stop the spread of COVID-19 in Philadelphia. Specific details are still being finalized, but we plan to announce changes to restrictions on Monday, November 16. https://t.co/fgAPsfbU3P

— Jim #MaskUpPHL Kenney (@PhillyMayor) November 13, 2020

Health and safety protocols at PA casinos

Before you visit a casino in Pennsylvania, there are few things you should know. Your next visit will look different than your previous pre-coronavirus-closure casino excursion. Per the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB), all casinos in the state must follow COVID-19 Casino Reopening Protocols, which detail the minimum safety and health-related requirements that are mandatory before reopening.

Key points to remember are:

• Casinos can reopen at 50% capacity.
• Employees and guests must wear masks.
• There are markings on the floor to promote social distancing.
• Enhanced cleaning is required throughout the facility.

Eating, drinking and smoking at PA casinos

In addition to the increased health and safety measures, some staples of casino visits have been put on a temporary pause.

New Casino In Pennsylvania

Alcohol can only be served when food is purchased. Drink service on the casino floor is prohibited.

These new rules went into effect well before the November record-breaking numbers.

Under the guidance of the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the PGCB, there is currently no smoking in Pennsylvania casinos either (effective July 3).

Gov. Tom Wolf and Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine signed orders that mandated restaurants can’t serve alcohol for on-site consumption past 11 p.m. (effective Sept 21).

Hours of PA casinos

Casinos in Pennsylvania started to close in mid-March to slow the spread of coronavirus. They were closed for over 100 days before the first few started welcoming back guests in June. However, not all returned to around-the-clock operations.

Casinos in PA open 24 hours:

• Parx
• Presque Isle
• Rivers Casino Philadelphia
• Rivers Casino Pittsburgh (starting Nov. 16)
• Mount Airy Casino
• Wind Creek Casino
• Mohegan Sun Pocono
• Harrah’s Philadelphia

Hours of other casinos in PA

The Meadows:

• Sunday-Thursday, 8-4 a.m.
• Friday-Saturday, 8-5 a.m.

Valley Forge Casino :

• Monday-Thursday, 10-3 a.m. Open 24 hours, 10 a.m. Friday through 3 a.m. Monday.

Hollywood Casino:

• Closed daily from 4 to 8 a.m. for deep cleaning.

Lady Luck Nemacolin:

• Open 24 hours for slot gaming
• Table games hours:
  Monday-Friday, 3-12 a.m.
  Saturday and Sunday, 2 p.m.-12 a.m.

1% of casino employees test positive

Map Of Pennsylvania Casinos

The PGCB released figures last week that showed that fewer than 1% of casinos employees have tested positive for COVID-19 since the 12 brick-and-mortar locations opened in June. Rivers Pittsburgh had 28 cases and Parx had 25. A full breakdown can be found here.

Online casinos in PA

If you are 21+ and physically located in Pennsylvania, you don’t even have to leave your home to play. There are now 11 online casinos in Pennsylvania. Things got even livelier this week as Caesars and FanDuellaunched online live dealer games.

Lead image credit: AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar

Pennsylvania has become the third state to again close its casino industry due to resurging COVID-19 infections.

In an announcement Thursday, Gov. Tom Wolf and the state’s health secretary said casinos and other businesses would close on Saturday. The shutdown will last through Jan. 4.

“It has become clear that we need to take further action to protect Pennsylvanians and stop the spread of COVID,” Wolf said. “Today I’m announcing additional, temporary mitigation measures.

Pennsylvania joins both Michigan and Illinois with full casino closures. Michigan closed casinos on Nov. 18 in a move first expected to last three weeks; the casinos will now remain closed until Dec. 20. Illinois casinos closed indefinitely on Nov. 20.

Several additional states have restrictions on casino hours and capacity.

“While December is traditionally a somewhat softer seasonal month, the period between Christmas and New Year’s tends to drive the month and as such, the closure through this period is slightly more meaningful,” Deutsche Bank gaming analyst Carlo Santarelli told investors.

The City of Philadelphia ordered the Rivers Casino closed on Nov. 20 as part of the city’s efforts to slow the spreading coronavirus. Rivers, which is operated by Rush Street Gaming, is the only casino within city limits.

Now, other Philadelphia-area casinos, including Parx and Harrah’s Philadelphia, will close as well.

Boyd Gaming said it would comply with the order and close its Valley Forge Casino by 12:01 am Saturday. The closure will include all public operations, including the casino, restaurants, and hotel.

“We will not place any Valley Forge team members on furlough at this time,” Boyd Gaming spokesman David Strow said in an email. “Team members will continue to receive regular pay, including tips, as well as benefits through January 4.”

On March 12, Boyd was the first company in the casino industry to experience a government-ordered shutdown when the pandemic forced Wolf to order the closure of businesses in four suburban Philadelphia counties, including Montgomery County, home of the Valley Forge. The property reopened on June 26.

“As we noted with the closures in Illinois and Michigan, we think it is unrealistic to assume this is the last of the closures, especially with the light at the end of the tunnel identifiable with the vaccine in the first half of 2021,” Santarelli said.

Pennsylvania has 12 casinos and racinos and reported gaming revenues of $3.38 billion in 2019. The Philadelphia market alone ranked No. 7 among the gaming industry’s top 20 commercial markets, according to the American Gaming Association’s 2019 State of the States report.

Santarelli said the investment community has anticipated additional restrictions and closures.

“That said, when the narrative changed from cash burn and liquidity to margin improvements and sports betting, things changed for regional equities,” he said. “Accordingly, we are a bit more cautious of the potential for the currently constructive narrative to again shift back to cash burn, despite liquidity being less of an issue this time around.