Gaming regulators in Nevada confirm how poker will be allowed to resume in state casinos
The Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) has been working on new guidelines so gambling operations can be resumed in Las Vegas, and things will surely be different for poker players. In a meeting held on Thursday afternoon, the NGCB officially enacted the new regulations that gambling operators must follow in order to be allowed to reopen any casinos. One of the proposed rules will change the way poker is played permanently, as the order has been given that poker tables will now be 4-max only.
In a tourist gambling venue that thrives on mass gathering and large volumes of visitors, one of the biggest challenges has been figuring out how many people should be allowed within the facilities. The NGCB has decided on a 50% occupancy once the venues are open, an amount that was derived from the local fire departments and building inspectors based on their inspections.
The previous communication from the board regarding the number of people sitting at the casino tables was approved, with restrictions not only for poker, but for blackjack tables, roulette and craps. Both roulette and poker tables within casinos will allow a maximum of four people sitting, then for craps, the limit was set at six. Finally, blackjack tables can only sit three customers at a time.
The rules will be effective for the major casinos located in the iconic Las Vegas Strip area, the historical Freemont Street area, in which there are over 400 more casinos and gambling venues, as well as the more than one thousand other "restricted licensees" granted to other locations across the state that have 15 machines or less.
