Friday, March 20, 2020 | 11:06 a.m.
The American Gaming Association estimates 616,000 casino employees in the U.S., including those at tribal properties, are out of work because of shutdowns caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Bill Miller, the association’s president and CEO, said 95% of the country’s 465 commercial casinos and about 75% of 524 tribal casinos are temporarily closed.
Some $43.5 billion in economic activity will be “robbed” from the U.S. economy if casinos remain closed for the next eight weeks, Miller said, though he called the closures “important health and safety decisions.”
On Tuesday, Gov. Steve Sisolak called for all gaming operations in Nevada to close for 30 days in an effort to help slow the spread of the virus. The Nevada Gaming Control Board suspended all gaming licenses until April 18.
“The impact on our employees, their families, and communities is staggering, and the implications extend far beyond the casino floor,” Miller said. “Technology companies that supply the industry and the nearly 350,000 small business employees that rely on gaming for their livelihood are also feeling the devastating blow of this unprecedented public health crisis.”
The association is asking for federal government assistance, saying lawmakers must “act swiftly and comprehensively to get America’s hospitality employees and the small businesses that support them back to work.”
“Gaming employees, their families, and communities are bearing the brunt of this economic standstill and will continue to suffer if Congress and the administration don’t take immediate action,” he said.
Casino workers across the country earn about $74 billion in wages annually, according to the association.