Louisiana’s only brick-and-mortar casino Harrah’s New Orleans has announced that it will be reopening its doors on Saturday, June 13. The announcement was made following an update from New Orleans mayor LaToya Cantrell stating that the city would be moving into the second phase of lifting the stay-at-home order.
The new regulations will allow public venues, such as casino and gaming establishments to operate at limited capacity. In terms of New Orleans gambling, this means that Harrah’s and Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots will be allowed to open. It is stated that the casino will only be allowed to operate at a fourth of its actual capacity.
Harrah’s New Orleans has been closed since March 17 following a directive from Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards and the Louisiana Gaming Control Board. The casino, which is owned by Caesars Entertainment, has no doubt suffered from the three-month suspension of operations.
Other Louisiana Casinos Already Operating
Although Harrah’s is the only land-based casino in Louisiana, there are more than 10 riverboat casinos and five tribal casinos that operate in the area. Riverboat casinos have been allowed to operate since May 18. All have since returned to operation except the DiamondJacks which has become a casualty of the economic effects of the pandemic.
With regards to tribal casinos, all have reopened. It is important to note that all of these casinos are located outside of New Orleans – the state’s largest city.
New Orleans Hit Hard by COVID19
While Louisiana is not pulling the biggest COVID19 numbers, the state has still been hit pretty hard with more than 43000 cases having been recorded. Of this number, roughly 10 000 are still active.
Without a doubt, New Orleans has been one of the worst affected areas in the state, accounting for nearly 7500 cases. Currently, the state’s total death total sits at just under 3000 at the time of writing.
Harrah’s New Orleans obligated to pay the state at least $60 million in tax revenue each year. So, the casino will no doubt want to get back to full operations as soon as possible.
If you are a little afraid of visiting public areas, you can still play your favorite casino games online. Here at CasinoUS, we have a number of sites that will allow you to do just that!
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