Masks Still Required, But Detroit Casinos Should Be At Full Capacity By July 1
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According to the plans announced by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Thursday, Detroit casinos are set to resume full operations by July 1.
The governor announced at Dow Diamond in Midland, Michigan that indoor capacity restrictions will be lifted on July 1, following the expiry of outdoor bans on June 1.
While the Michigan Gaming Control Board has not made any official announcements, it is expected that the current 30% capacity restrictions imposed on Greektown Casino, MGM Grand Detroit, and MotorCity Casino will be eliminated according to the timeline.
Despite the MGCB revising its order on Saturday to lift the mask requirement for vaccinated individuals, the casinos have not yet announced the lifting of mask restrictions as of Thursday.
Following the announcement by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week that vaccinated individuals can now forgo wearing masks indoors, this decision was subsequently made.
Detroit casinos still require masks, for now
Michigan’s three casinos have not updated their mask policy, regardless of the change in order.
Some tribal casinos have recently stopped mandating masks, which include:
- FireKeepers Casino, Battle Creek
- The Four Winds Casinos are located in Dowagiac, Hartford, and New Buffalo.
- Leelanau Sands, Peshawbestown
- Little River Casino, Manistee
- The Odawa Casinos are located in Petoskey and Mackinaw City.
- Saganing Eagles Landing, Standish
- Soaring Eagle, Mount Pleasant
- Turtle Creek, Williamsburg
At Ojibwa Casinos in Baraga and Marquette, as well as Island Resort Casino in Harris, it is permissible to remove your mask while seated at a slot machine.
Detroit casinos have had restrictions for more than a year
Five days after the initiation of retail sports betting in the city, all the Detroit casinos shut down on March 16, 2020.
The trio reopened in August after a closure of almost five months, but unfortunately had to close again in November for an additional six weeks. However, the casinos have been reopened since the second reopening.
Initially, the state implemented restrictions allowing for a maximum capacity of 15%; however, these regulations have now been revised to allow for a higher capacity of 30%.
Throughout the year, customers have been required to wear masks, and the indoor smoking areas have been shut down.
AGA: Detroit fell to 10th in casino markets in 2020
On Thursday, the State of the States 2021 report was released by the American Gaming Association, providing a comprehensive overview of the casino gaming industry throughout the year.
As predicted, the sector experienced a challenging year in 2020, with national industry revenue declining by 31.3% to reach $30.0 billion.
Due to its high COVID-19 case rates and subsequent stricter measures, Michigan experienced a significant economic toll, with the local community being hit particularly hard.
The revenue of the Detroit market dropped from the 6th position to the 10th position, generating a total of $620.4 million.
Mississippi’s Gulf Coast moved ahead of Detroit on the list, climbing from No. 8 to No. 5. Philadelphia also surpassed Detroit, going from No. 7 to No. 6. St. Louis jumped ahead of Detroit as well, moving from No. 9 to No. 7. Nevada’s Boulder Strip made significant progress, climbing from No. 12 to No. 9 and surpassing Detroit on the list.
