Casinos in Indiana may not open in May unlike some tribal properties in Michigan. The state is eyeing a mid-June reopening date for casinos and gaming properties.

Governor Holcomb discusses his plan

On Friday, Governor Eric Holcomb highlighted his program aiming to bring closed businesses “back on track.” The Indiana Gaming Commission (IGC) deputy director Jenny Reske said that the tentative reopening date is June 14. The staff at IGC is currently working on reopening requirements. Casinos are also asked to submit their own reopening plans to the state. Reske said that the properties are “putting a lot of thought into their plans.”

Indiana was amongst the first states in the US to shut down its casinos owing to the coronavirus pandemic. The gaming commission asked all venues to shut down on March 16 after the governor asked to limit all non-essential gatherings, including auditoriums, churches, and stadiums. The state’s tax revenue suffered greatly because of the shutdown. For instance, the Evansville City Council had to agree to a $3 million repeal in their current budget just days after the Tropicana Evansville shutdown.

The four keys of operating again

Holcomb did not mention gaming properties explicitly in his reopening plan. However, the IGC’s tentative date of June 14 coincides with phase 4 of the reopening plan, when “cultural, entertainment, and tourism businesses” will be allowed to open their doors at half capacity. Nightclubs and bars will also b allowed to open with the same restrictions.

Holcomb aims to allow businesses to operate at full capacity by July 4. In his Friday address, he noted,

“We hope we can open up the state even more in mid-June, to get you back to even more of the activities you and your family are used to and missing so much in recent weeks.”

The second stage of phase 1 of the reopening plan begins on Monday. The governor specified four key points to follow- a continuous decrease in the number of hospitalizations related to COVID-19, the state’s ability to maintain ICUs and keep ventilators readily available, expanding COVID-10 testing across the state and reaching out to the people who test positive so they can be contact traced. This will help state officials in mapping individuals who may have possibly been exposed to the virus.