Pennsylvania Casinos Reopening on June 9, Meadows and Pittsburg First

Casinos in Pennsylvania can technically open today, Friday, June 5. Yet, all 12 brick-and-mortar properties are in no particular rush to restart operations. The first properties to officially open next week are the Meadows Racetrack & Casino and Rivers Casino Pittsburgh.

Pennsylvania’s Casinos Postpone Immediate Launch for June 9

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) has given the 12 brick-and-mortar casinos in the state the go-ahead to reopen as early as Friday, June 5. Yet, none will be opening for business today, with the earliest entrants on Tuesday, June 9 when The Meadows Casino in Washington County and Rivers Casino Pittsburgh restart operation.

Pennsylvania will follow a phased approach to resuming business with the state authorities reviewing infection rates on a weekly basis and in separate counties and make decisions based on that information. For starters, returning casinos will not allow most table games or introduce limitations.

Pennsylvania has also worked out a three-colored system with red, yellow and green now designating the state of infections in each county and whether business can be resumed. On Wednesday, the state reported that 34 counties have been cleared for business or half the state. The other half of the state is still battling to bring the novel coronavirus outbreak under control.

Launching Operations in The Meadows Casino and Rivers Casino Pittsburgh

With state casinos tip-toeing around reopening Rivers Casino Pittsburgh will become the first casino to launch this upcoming Tuesday, June 9. While Pittsburgh initially planned not to reopen soon, an update came on Wednesday, with Rush Street Gaming spokesperson Jack Horner commenting that the timetable has been shifted to next week.

Another property to join is The Meadows Racetrack & Casino which will also launch on Tuesday. Both casinos will follow health protocols and comply with issued recommendations by state health authorities. A third casino opening has been confirmed for next Friday, June 12, with the Lady Luck Nemacolin, located close to the border with West Virginia, coming back up online.

With Revenue Slumping, Online Gambling Leads the Way

In times of uncertainty, Pennsylvania’s focus on iGaming has allowed the Keystone State to bear the brunt of the pandemic without suffering completely devastating losses to its bottom line.

The state’s iGaming revenue soared to $43.06 million, marking a significant increase in operation or a 73% jump from March. Rivers Casino led the way in April, owing to the fact that the brick-and-mortar property operates two digital skins, one branded under SugarHouse’s name and one under BetRivers.

With a return to some form of normality, Rivers is bound to dominate the results in June boosted by its digital and physical footprint. Meanwhile, Nevada and Las Vegas’ casinos have restarted operations with businesses pushing new advertisements in a bid to attract customers who are scarce for the moment.

Yet, the glaring detail in the Las Vegas landscape weren’t peculiar ads but rather the National Guard troops summoned by Gov. Steve Sisolak to help stop riots that followed the wrongful death of an African American man, George Floyd.