Inewsource emailed or called San Diego County’s nine casinos for this story. “There’s no way anyone could convince me to go gamble at this point in time,” Morrison said. Juliet Morrison, a virologist and assistant professor at the University of California Riverside, described going to a casino as a “high-risk activity” made riskier by the length of time spent indoors, crowds, and the spotty use of masks when eating, drinking or smoking. The number is higher than those who said they went to gyms, but lower than those who said they went to bars and restaurants, barbershops and salons, or places of worship, all of which have had to adapt to stay-at-home restrictions California imposed on the county just before midnight on Dec. They report 589 local residents say they visited a casino in the 14 days before testing positive for the virus or before the onset of COVID-19 symptoms. Click here to learn more.Ĭounty health officials, however, continue to track coronavirus cases with links to visiting casinos.

Inewsource is an independent and nonprofit journalism organization in San Diego, and relies on grants and philanthropists to support its investigative content. The casinos, which employ tens of thousands of people and generate revenue for tribal government services, aren’t subject to state and county health orders because they are under the jurisdiction of sovereign tribes. But with the uptick in coronavirus cases, some of the casinos are voluntarily tightening health measures and canceling or postponing some events.Īt least one, Harrah’s in Valley Center, has issued paperwork to its employees saying the Rincon tribe has deemed them essential workers exempt from the county’s curfew and stay-at-home order.

They began reopening in May with safety rules, including mask-wearing and social distancing, and have gradually increased operations to include more gaming, dining and events. While much of California is in lockdown mode with many businesses ordered to close as COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations surge, the nine casinos on tribal lands in San Diego County remain open. While smoking, eating, or drinking visitors are not required to wear masks at Sycuan Casino, Aug.

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