Louisiana casinos closing for 2 weeks over coronavirus concerns

Tuesday, March 17, 2020
Health officials confirm Las Vegas' first case of novel coronavirus
Las Vegas' first case of novel coronavirus has been confirmed by health officials in Nevada.

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- If you were looking to make a getaway to the slot machines and table games in Louisiana, don't bother planning a trip any time soon.

The coronavirus crisis has reached the state's gaming industry.

Casinos across Louisiana are closing at 12 a.m. Tuesday, March 17, according to Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards. The closures are expected to last for at least two weeks, though the order could be extended.

KPLC-TV in Lake Charles reports the losses could total around $1.6 million per day in revenue for the state's twenty casinos.

The order essentially shutters gaming and operations at 15 riverboats, slot rooms at horsetracks, and the only non-tribal land-based casino in New Orleans. It also applies to the Coushatta Casino in Kinder, Louisiana, which is operated by the Coushatta Tribe.

The video above is from a previous story.

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