Some Las Vegas casinos gave away $20 to gamblers wearing a mask

• Gamblers at Caesars Palace, Paris, Flamingo, The Linq, and Harrah's in Las Vegas were given $20 if they were wearing a mask in the casino as part of a limited-time promotion.
• $7,500 was given away to 375 guests.
• While casino employees are required to wear masks, guests are currently only being encouraged to do so.

Some gamblers wearing masks at certain Las Vegas casinos over the weekend may have been surprised to get an unexpected cash bonus.

A promotions team walked through Caesars Entertainment casinos — Caesars Palace, Paris, Flamingo, The Linq, and Harrah's — and gave $20 to people wearing masks while gambling or walking around the gaming floor. The Reno Gazette-Journal was first to report on the promotion.

$7,500 has been given away to 375 guests, a representative for Caesars Entertainment told Business Insider. Only Caesars Rewards members are eligible for the promotion, but anyone can sign up for the program on the spot to receive the money.

"This is a limited-time promotion, currently running, as we work to reward guests who are choosing to wear a mask," the company representative said.

A public relations specialist told the Gazette-Journal that the limited promotion "would end if wearing masks became mandatory."

Las Vegas casinos began reopening on June 4, with hand-washing stations, spaced-out seating, and plexiglass barriers becoming the norm. While employees are required to masks, guests are merely encouraged to do so, except at game tables that do not have barriers set up.

Nevada state officials are being pressured by the Culinary Union to require masks for anyone in a hotel or casino public space, in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus and protect workers.

Two people at Flamingo reportedly tested positive for COVID-19 last week, and a handful of restaurants on and off the Strip have had to temporarily close after identifying positive cases among employees.