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‘Game over!’—for now
Gaming establishments are shuttered
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Posted on Apr 02 2020
Gov. Ralph DLG Torres ordered yesterday the closure of the casino, video poker establishments, e-gaming facilities, and all other businesses engaged in gaming, in an effort to stop the rise of COVID-19 cases in the CNMI.
Torres amended Directive 14 of his Second Amended Executive Order 2020-04 to promote social distancing and prevent spread of COVID-19, following the Commonwealth Health Care Corp.’s recommendation to close all businesses engaged in gaming, including the casino, video poker establishments, and e-gaming facilities.
“CHCC states that CNMI residents frequenting these establishments, often for long duration, are at significant risk of being exposed to persons who may be infected with COVID-19,” Torres stated. “CHCC further states that given confirmation of community transmission [on] Saipan, continued access to these establishments would jeopardize the health and wellbeing of our residents. For these stated reasons, I will direct the closure of the casino and all video poker establishments and e-gaming facilities throughout the CNMI.”
Additionally, all businesses engaged in recreational or amusement type activities are also ordered closed. These include the roller-skate rink, businesses with child play facilities, and arcades.
The governor said that, like gaming establishments, CNMI residents, mainly children, frequent these recreational facilities for long duration, and often get in close contact or near close contact with other persons.
“Persons are also in contact with surfaces that may have been infected by COVID-19. Therefore, persons who go to these locations are at a significant risk of being exposed to persons who may be infected with COVID-19,” he said.
