Keystone State casinos are currently working at 50% capacity. Wolf also said alcohol service will be allowed without the purchase of food. Since reopening last summer casinos have only been able to serve alcohol to customers seated for meals.
The state will continue to mandate mask wearing and social distancing.
““Pennsylvanians have stepped up and done their part of help curb the spread of Covid-19,” Wolf said. “Our case counts continue to go down, hospitalizations are declining, and the percent positivity rate gets lower every week – all very positive signs. The number of people getting vaccinated increases daily and we are seeing light at the end of the tunnel. It’s time to allow our restaurants, bars and other service businesses to get back to more normal operations.”
Pennsylvania’s seven-day average of cases has steadily dropped to about 2,500 cases a day, compared to more than 5,000 cases a day in late January.
Pennsylvania casinos reported a $759m drop in revenues in 2020 compared to 2019. Casinos were ordered to close from December 12 2020 to January 4 as the state dealt with a spike in Covid-19 cases.
By January 2021, revenue had returned to pre-pandemic heights; the state’s casinos earned $311m that month, up 3% from January 2020.
