2020 has been a difficult year so far for the casino industry, but the industry does seem to be returning to normalcy this month. Here in the gambling hub of New Jersey, casinos are beginning to reopen fully- much to the delight of customers. New Jersey’s casinos are famous in the gambling scene, and hordes of people have been anticipating their return with glee.
Reopening New Jersey’s casinos during a pandemic has proven to be no easy feat so far, with new, strict rules on social distancing and hygiene. While it’s absolutely essential that rules like mandatory masks are in place, it has made business somewhat unusual for casinos this year.
One state that’s made waves by successfully reopening this year is Nevada. Nevada is a state that has a reputation for providing top quality gambling experiences, and the majority of betting companies in the state have fared well this year. In this blog post, we’ll be looking at this in more depth, and examining what New Jersey could learn from Nevada’s successes.
What we cover
How has 2020 impacted the casino industry?
It’s fair to say that 2020 has been a rough year for the casino industry.
Mandatory closures and lockdown measures made things very difficult for casino industries looking to succeed this year, and many companies have struggled to stay afloat. Workers have been put on furlough in a lot of cases, while other workers have lost their jobs entirely due to financial issues or health and safety concerns.
It’s not just the casinos that have been affected by the events of 2020, either. Local businesses that usually rely upon foot traffic from casinos have been struggling too. Nearby cafes, liquor stores and restaurants have been feeling the pressure of lockdown, and many smaller, independent stores have had to cut costs or close entirely
On a more positive note, the lockdown has pushed a lot more gamblers online. The online gambling industry was already booming before the lockdown, but the extra time in the house seems to have pushed even more people online than ever before.
As a whole, it’s been a difficult year for people working in the gambling sector. Inconsistent legislation, anxiety surrounding the pandemic and financial struggles have plagued many businesses, and many people are relieved to be returning to a vague sense of normality.
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What can New Jersey casinos learn from Nevada’s casinos?
One of the states that has made the news lately with it’s casino reopening strategy is Nevada. As reported in this handy article, Nevada is being touted as ‘the gold standard’ for casino reopening procedures by many people in the industry. Nevada’s reopening procedure was smooth and relatively painless- and there is a lot that New Jersey could learn from it.
As many of you reading this will know already, New Jersey’s casinos are in the process of opening up their doors fully this month. Other states are beginning to follow suit too , which is interesting to see. Every state is in different positions in regards to the pandemic, so different strategies will work for different places.
One of the main things that New Jersey’s casinos need to do in a similar vein to Nevada is to make efforts to get input from health officials. As we reported here, New Jersey is on track with this already, and has put bans in place for activities that officials have noted as being harmful.
The Casino Association of New Jersey has also been working with groups like worker unions and healthcare providers to make the return as safe as possible, as we noted in this post here. The safety of employees and staff is absolutely paramount, after all.
Something that many people believe Nevada fell flat on is communication. For New Jersey’s casinos to reopen successfully, there needs to be a good chain of communication between all parties. Good communication and clear boundaries on what is allowed in the casinos will allow the reopening to continue going smoothly.
As a whole, it’s essential that guests in casinos, sportsbooks and other entertainment sources are encouraged to be as mindful as possible when it comes to the reopening. The reopening of New Jersey’s casinos relies on everybody doing their part, alongside good protective equipment and modern solutions like cashless payments, too.
Gambling during the pandemic will certainly be strange, but with careful planning and mindful participation from both staff members and employees, it should go according to plan. Nevada has objectively done well with their reopening process, and New Jersey’s casinos seem to be making some intelligent decisions with their reopening process too.
Summary
It’s brilliant to see that things are returning to some level of normalcy in New Jersey this year- and in America as a whole, too. New Jersey’s casinos make up an important part of both the local economy and the local nightlife, so it’s important that the casinos are maintained and run in a safe, logical manner from now on.
If you’re in New Jersey and you’re looking to head out to one of the casinos soon, do make sure to be sensible and safe. While it may not be fun to wear a mask or socially distance, it’s vital to remember that this is for everybody’s safety- not just your own. Wear a mask, keep your distance and follow the rules wherever possible, to keep yourself and your loved ones safe.
If you’re working in a casino and you’re heading back to work in New Jersey soon, remember to follow the guidelines as well. While the new working circumstances may seem scary or unfamiliar, New Jersey officials are doing well with mitigating the pandemic, and things are on track to returning back to normal- slowly, but surely.
Are you a New Jersey resident interested in playing online in our state and taking advantage of the best offers? Check out our curated list of NJ casinos, NJ sportsbooks and online bonuses.
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