8 of Atlantic City's famous casinos just reopened for the first time since March. These photos show just how different the casino experience is going to be after the pandemic.
Joey Hadden
Craps players and dealers are separated by partitions at the Golden Nugget Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on July 2, 2020.AP Photo/Seth Wenig
- Eight of nine Atlantic City casinos reopened last weekend for the first time since New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy ordered them to close in light of the coronavirus pandemic on March 16.
- While the state was planning to resume indoor dining on July 2, Gov. Murphy said on June 29 that it would be postponed indefinitely.
- Most Atlantic City casinos reopened with restrictions, like no food, drinks, or smoking permitted indoors.
- Some casinos installed plexiglass barriers and temperature checking devices before reopening.
- Take a look inside casinos during Atlantic City's reopening weekend.
Most casinos in Atlantic City, New Jersey, reopened last weekend after closing for three-and-a-half months to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
The boardwalk in Atlantic City, New Jersey, as hotels and casinos reopen for the Independence Day Holiday Weekend.
TRF/STAR MAX/IPx 2020/AP Images
Source: The New York Times, AP News
Of the nine casinos in Atlantic City, five reopened last Thursday, including Hard Rock, Ocean, Resorts, Tropicana, and Golden Nugget.
Mike Donovan and Terry Glebocki cut the ribbon welcoming guests and media to the casino floor at Ocean Resort Casino on July 2.
Donald Kravitz/Getty Images
Source: AP News
Three more casinos — Caesars, Bally's, and Harrah's — reopened the following day.
Jeorganna Barnes, a worker at Harrah's casino in Atlantic City, wipes slot machines with disinfectant on July 1, 2020.
Associated Press
Source: AP News
The reopenings came with coronavirus-era restrictions, like wearing face masks and limiting the casinos to 25% capacity.
A patron wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat gambles at Hard Rock Casino after it reopened on July 3, 2020.
Mark Makela/Getty Images
Some casino-goers wore gloves at the gambling spots to protect themselves.
A man rests his leg on a slot machine in disuse due to social distancing guidelines while gambling at Hard Rock Casino after it reopened on July 3, 2020.
Mark Makela/Getty Images
New Jersey also required casinos to clean and disinfect all surfaces, per CDC recommendations, ahead of the reopenings. The casinos are not allowed to serve food or drinks indoors, and smoking is prohibited.
Steven Ford, a worker at Harrah's casino in Atlantic City, sprays slot machines with disinfectant on July 1, 2020.
AP Photo/Wayne Parry
Photos of the casinos on reopening weekend show what your next trip to Atlantic City might be like. Patrons entering Ocean Casino Resort are prompted to ask themselves if they feel any symptoms that have been linked to the coronavirus.
A sign asks entering patrons if they feel symptoms associated with COVID-19 at Ocean Casino after it reopened on July 3, 2020.
Mark Makela/Getty Images
Sources: The New York Times, AP News
The casino installed protective barriers at the front desk ...
Steve Allen, a worker at the Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, installs a plexiglass barrier at the casino's hotel reservation desk on June 3, 2020.
AP Photo/Wayne Parry
Sources: The New York Times, AP News
... and between slot machines.
The casino floor with protective barriers between slot machines at Ocean Resort Casino.
Donald Kravitz/Getty Images
Sources: The New York Times, AP News
"I feel less at risk than in the supermarket," 71-year-old Virginia Hight, a patron told The New York Times.
A sign promotes social distancing on a slot machine in disuse at Ocean Casino.
Mark Makela/Getty Images
Source: The New York Times
The casino's models wore glistening facemasks matching their costumes.
Models appear on the casino floor at Ocean Resort Casino during the reopening.
Donald Kravitz/Getty Images
While only employees at Ocean Resort Casino had their temperatures checked, each patron entering the Hard Rock Casino had their temperature checked with thermal imaging monitors.
People's temperatures are scanned as they enter the Hard Rock Casino on July 2, 2020.
AP Photo/Seth Wenig
Source: The New York Times
These devices also recognize each face that passes through the system. This paired with surveillance cameras serve as a contact-tracing system.
An Associated Press reporter has his temperature scanned by a thermal camera at the Hard Rock Casino.
AP Photo/Wayne Parr7
Source: The New York Times
At the Hard Rock Casino, 60% of employees were back to work this weekend, the parent company's chairman, James Allen, told the New York Times.
Partitions between players and face masks allow gamblers to enjoy craps at the Hard Rock Casino on July 2, 2020.
AP Photo/Seth Wenig
Source: The New York Times
Atlantic City's top casino on Trip Advisor, the Borgata, decided to remain closed because Gov. Philip Murphy extended his ban on indoor dining.
The Borgata Hotel and Casino.
AP Photo/Wayne Parry
Sources: Trip Advisor, AP News
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