Sahara Las Vegas Casino Violates State Social Distancing Mandate, Gaming Board Files Complaint

The Sahara Las Vegas is in hot water with the Nevada Gaming Control Board after a compliant was filed claiming the casino violated Nevada’s social distancing regulations.

The two-count complaint obtained by the Reno Gazette Journal was filed by Nevada Gaming Control Board on Wednesday and is the first time a casino on The Strip has been accused of violating reopening mandates during the coronavirus pandemic.

In the complaint, the Sahara is accused of hosting a lunch event on July 23 that had an estimated 135 people in attendance. Under Nevada’s COVID-19 policies, gatherings are limited to a maximum of 50 people., as directed by the order from Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak.

The complaint also alleges that the property allowed casino gamblers to break social distancing policies at craps and blackjack tables on June 16 in three instances by having gamblers and patrons standing too close to each other.

The Strip’s casinos reopened their doors on June 4 after closing in mid-March to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. A series of mandates were put in place to allow the casino properties to reopen, including reduced occupancy at casinos, social distancing between gamblers, strict capacity limit for meeting and conventions spaces, and a face mask requirement for employees and patrons.

“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,” a Sahara Las Vegas spokesman told USA Today in a statement.

It was unclear at the time of writing if the Nevada Gaming Control Board would sanction a fine against the Sahara.

Nevada had over 53,500 positive coronavirus cases and 900 COVID-19 deaths as of Friday morning, according to Johns Hopkins University.