In doing so, Mississippi joins neighboring Louisiana as the first gaming states to end the requirement that casino employees and visitors must wear masks.
However, “All licensed operators shall continue to abide by any state and local rules or ordinances pertaining to COVID-19,” the MGC said in its order, according to the Sun Herald newspaper in Biloxi.
The order also means that casinos can return to operating at 100% capacity without social distancing. Casinos have been under a 75% occupancy limit since March 4.
Earlier this week Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards eliminated his state’s mask mandate. On Thursday L’Auberge Casino & Hotel Baton Rouge announced it would no longer require guests to wear masks when visiting the property.
By eliminating Covid-19 orders, Mississippi and Louisiana are poised to capitalize on already-strong starts to the spring season.
Mississippi casinos saw March gross gaming revenue of $249m, up 126% year-on-year and an improvement of 17% from March 2019.
Louisiana’s March gaming revenue was $225m, up 132% y-o-y. Harrah’s New Orleans, the state’s lone land-based casino, won $22.4m last month, up 114% from the same month a year prior.
