Casino Safety Measures Shift in Mexico, Peru
As vaccinations for COVID-19 continue throughout Latin America, various countries are shifting their approach to ensure the safety of casino goers, while also supporting the gaming industry. In Peru, casinos in the Ica region will require proof of vaccination for entry, while in Mexico, casinos in Nuevo León move towards allowing higher guest capacity.
Mexican and Peruvian authorities are reevaluating their casino restrictions in the midst of new COVID-19 developments. ©Cande Westh/Unsplash
A Focus on Vaccination in Peru
Though Peruvians currently have a vaccination rate of 49.6% (first dose) and 34.9% (fully vaccinated), concerns linger about the risk of COVID-19 transmission in mass gatherings for both public and private events. Peru is currently reporting just 18 infections per 100k people, or 9% of its peak infection rate in April, but the national government has imposed a curfew and limitations on casino capacities in several provinces.
Authorities in the Ica region in the south west are taking an additional step and imposing a further restriction in regards to vaccinations. Now, eligible adults will have to show proof of vaccination to enter casinos in Ica, as long as the health emergency lasts.
The new Regional Ordinance No. 0011-2021-GORE-ICA states that interested casino goers will have to show a valid vaccination card, proving that they have received two doses of their vaccine. The relevant gambling venues will also have to verify the validity of those cards or face consequences from the state.
This rule is not only valid for casinos and slot machine venues, but also for various other entertainment venues and public events spaces, such as: movie theaters, cinemas, gyms, stadiums, bars, and clubs. The idea is to specifically target any area that might see a mass audience, since these can be hot spots for transmitting the virus.
Exceptions to the rule include people who are not yet in the suitable age bracket for receiving the vaccine, or who cannot receive the vaccine for other valid medical reasons. Peru is currently vaccinating those in the age group between 20 to 29, which will likely last until November. The government hopes that this new vaccination restriction will also encourage citizens to make use of the free vaccine.
Casinos and other venues will be obligated to verify the validity of vaccination cards using the Peruvian government web portal for this task. If a falsified vaccination card is suspected, the establishment should make a call to a relevant authority to report the card.
The biggest upshot to this new rule is also increased capacity in casinos in Ica. Anyone who presents a vaccination card is not counted as part of a capacity restriction. This means that, in theory, if all guests are fully vaccinated, Ica casinos may operate at 100% capacity again, which would be a great boon for the industry since it has faced pandemic-related closures and restrictions.
To encourage casino venues to participate in this new ordinance, the local government may also reward compliant venues with various recognition and stimulus payments for good behavior.
Opening Up in Mexico
Unfortunately, Mexico has been hit hard in comparison to Peru and is currently at a reported 48% of its peak infection rate, with over 9,000 new infections reported daily. This is despite a fairly high vaccination percentage: 49.7% of the population has had at least one dose, while 34.9% have received two doses.
Part of this infection increase could be due to pockets of unvaccinated people — young people in particular — through which the COVID-19 virus travels rapidly. Still, Mexican authorities have determined that rates are generally going down, and thus some reopenings are possible.
The Secretary of Health of the State of Nuevo León, Manuel de la O. Cavazos, announced that entertainment venues would soon be allowed to operate at a higher capacity than in previous months. For casinos specifically, this means an increase from 40% to 70% of full capacity.
These measures will also address movie theaters, playhouses, and gyms. Other venues like party halls, bars and nightclubs will only be brought up to 50% due to remaining concerns about the spread of the virus. Festivals like the patron saint festivities can only operate at 30% capacity.
The secretary seemed optimistic about the re-openings, citing data from previous waves of infections in Nuevo León. He said a fourth wave is likely, but that from here on out, each wave should be much smaller than the previous ones and more easily handled.
