The Sahara Las Vegas could be in trouble with regulators for violating Covid-19 safety policies. The Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) has received two complaints regarding the casino, breaking large gathering and social distancing rules.
The first violation is regarding a lunch meeting of a local trade group consisting of 135 people. Gatherings of more than 50 people are prohibited.
The second violation involves a NGCB board agent observing guests at the casino congregating around table games and slot machines. Apparently, they were getting a little too close to each other for comfort.
In response to the complaints, an assistant casino manager “acknowledged and immediately corrected” instances where guests were getting too close on the casino floor, and dealers were reminded of the requirements, the casino noted in response.
In the instance of the luncheon, a resort executive said social distancing was arranged, but it was unclear whether the 50% occupancy rule imposed on restaurants extended to events that happened to have food-and-beverage. It’s unclear if they were aware of the 50-person max limitation.
The Sahara released this comment explaining their diligence to safety:
“We take our duties as a licensed gaming operator very seriously and work continuously to adhere to the health and safety standards set forth by the Governor and Nevada Gaming Commission. As stated in the Nevada Gaming Control Board filing, we acknowledged and immediately corrected conditions related to State-mandated social distancing protocols inside the resort identified shortly after reopening in June. Prior to that, we worked with health experts to develop our own stringent health and sanitation protocols through our SAHARA Cares program. We routinely review these protocols with team members to ensure compliance across the resort. Nothing is more important to us than the health and safety of our guests and team members and we will continue to work cooperatively with government agencies to ensure we meet these high standards.”
At this time, the Sahara has not indicated whether it will appeal against either of the complaints. Should the NGCB rule the Sahara did violate Nevada’s Covid-19 safety standards, the penalty could come in the way of fines, but specific penalties have not been laid out.
