The American Gaming Association has urged congress to follow the lead of Nevada legislature after Governor Steve Sisloak signed a COVID-19 liability protection bill into law.
Lauding the move as “essential” for businesses to continue contributing to economic recovery in a safe and effective manner, the gaming industry association states that the introduction will help mitigate the costs of burdensome litigation.
Senate Bill 4 aims to offer protection to businesses and hospitality workers, heighten health and safety measures and offers firm’s liability protection from COVID-19 related lawsuits.
Bill Miller, CEO and president of the AGA, explained: “The AGA and our members applaud the bipartisan effort by the Nevada legislature and Governor Sisolak to protect all businesses by limiting exposure to potential COVID-related lawsuits. This allows our members to focus on what’s most needed right now: sustained economic and community recovery.
“As the gaming industry responsibly reopens across the country, it continues to adapt in incredible ways to protect the health and safety of workers and customers. Gaming properties, led by our deep-rooted culture of compliance, continue to follow, and often exceed, government reopening guidelines nationwide.”
The move comes as 850 of 990 US casinos properties across 39 states have enacted partial reopening, a figure that includes 417 commercial casinos (approximately 89.7 per cent of the total) and 433 tribal properties (estimated to be in the region of 82.4 per cent of the total).
Miller continued: “While we have worked diligently to safely reopen our doors and welcome our team members back to work, we remain concerned that already-suffering gaming businesses will be forced to defend against an onslaught of frivolous lawsuits.
“Capacity restrictions and significant safety expenditures are already taking their toll. This bill helps to mitigate the costs of burdensome litigation that will ultimately affect state and local taxes and jobs.
“But, this is truly a national crisis. It is incumbent upon Congress and the administration to follow Nevada’s leadership and enact timely, targeted, and temporary liability relief provisions to safeguard responsible actors against frivolous lawsuits. This protection is essential for businesses to continue to contribute to a safe and effective economic recovery from the pandemic.”
