Not too long ago, you could primarily only find casinos in two locations in the United States: Las Vegas and Atlantic City. Now, the industry is continuously expanding, with nearly 500 casinos in operation across 24 different states.
With all the growth and revenue potential associated with the casino industry, it’s no surprise that casino owners want to keep up with the times. As a result, today’s casinos have to consider various public health and safety issues and invest in addressing these concerns. One popular solution that’s starting to emerge is highly effective sneeze guards for casinos.
Ready to Play? Promote Safe Gaming Practices in Your Casino
Casinos can be a blast, with bright lights and enticing games as far as the eye can see. But, unfortunately, a bustling casino can also be a breeding ground for contagious illnesses. Ailments like the common cold, flu, strep throat, or even cases of acute bronchitis can all arise in a casino.
With people in such close proximity to each other, plus all the surfaces that are contaminated as people play games, casinos need to implement strict sanitation protocols and install protective equipment like plexiglass sneeze guards to keep guests safe as they crank the lever of a slot machine or go all-in at the card tables. Sneeze guards can slow the spread of contagious illnesses and germs by minimizing contact and blocking airborne particles as people talk, laugh, sneeze, or cough.
There are many ways to combat the significant health concerns associated with the casino industry. Putting plexiglass shields in high-traffic or contact-heavy areas of your casino in combination with regular cleaning can reduce the occurrence of infectious illnesses and minimize exposure to other health hazards in casinos. Plus, with face mask enforcement and sneeze guards in place, casino guests can also get better protection for themselves from secondhand smoke inhalation if you allow smoking within your establishment.
4 Major Health Concerns in Casinos (and How to Address Them)
Concerns surrounding public health and safety are mounting. Casinos must address these issues using reliable safety solutions to regain trust with the general public. Below, you will find ways to combat the primary health concerns in casinos and prioritize the health and safety of your staff and guests with cleaning protocols and protective equipment like sneeze guards.
1. Crowded Card Tables and Games
Whether your casino includes live card tables with human dealers or you have an array of computerized casino games, these areas are bound to draw the biggest crowds. But with big groups comes a more significant risk of spreading or contracting a contagious illness like the cold or flu.
Some casinos are implementing rules requiring patrons to sit at least one seat apart from each other during play at table games. However, a few other handy pieces of equipment can protect players and employees in high-traffic casino locations throughout the night. Explore different sneeze guards for table games, slots, and more.
Here are just a few ideas of how you can incorporate sneeze guards into your casino floorplan to protect guests as they play at card tables or computerized casino games:
- Attach plexiglass cubicle extenders to the sides of tables using durable aluminum brackets. These innovative products are for more than just the office!
- Use sneeze guards with pass-throughs to protect both players and dealers during card games. With an opening on the bottom of the plexiglass barrier, chips and cards easily transfer between your staff and guests while still blocking germs.
- Buy specialized slot machine sneeze guards that are custom cut to your liking and come with brackets to easily attach on the sides or in between each slot machine.
- Place mobile, free-standing sneeze guard panels between tables or rows of slot machines for more protection as people move through the casino.
Sneeze guards with pass-throughs are perfect for casino card tables, and some sneeze guard suppliers even offer custom options to outfit your venue with sneeze guards for slot machines. With so many products available in the marketplace, it’s easy to make gameplay a safer experience for everyone in your casino.
2. Contaminated Chips, Cards, and Casino Equipment
The issue of contaminated cards, poker chips, and equipment such as slot machines is something that many casino-goers and owners alike have overlooked through the years. Now, casinos need a fast and efficient way to sanitize these items so guests can continue with gameplay all night long.
You can adopt the common cleaning practices of restaurants and bars for your casino. Simply spray screens or sanitize chips by hand, utilizing a solution specifically for hard, non-porous surfaces. However, your cleaning products must contain an active ingredient like quaternary ammonium to eliminate harmful bacteria. Find the best cleaning solution for your casino using the Environmental Protect Agency’s informative List N Tool.
3. Secondhand Smoke Inhalation
The issue of secondhand smoke inhalation in casinos is a major concern for your company and its customers. In a recent CDC study, it was found that casinos with permitted smoking have air pollution levels four to six times higher than the outside air. Secondhand smoke can cause several severe and life-threatening issues, including:
- Heart attacks
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Lung cancer
- Other cancers
Secondhand smoke exposure can increase the risk for any of the serious illnesses listed above by almost 30 percent. As more and more casinos open their doors across the country, you can count on cases of cancer or cardiovascular disease in adults to rise.
Luckily, casinos can continue utilizing sneeze guards for years to come since they can protect against potentially fatal illnesses from secondhand smoke inhalation. Use mobile privacy screens to designate smoking and non-smoking areas in your casino. The barriers can block smoke from traveling into non-smoking areas, protecting the health of your patrons. Or, you can continue enforcing face masks in your casino to keep guests protected from hazardous vapors.
4. Eating and Drinking at the Casino
If your casino serves food and beverages, sanitation in these areas can be a significant health concern too. Without adequate handwashing, cleaning, and food handling protocols, there’s potential for germs to spread from your casino staff to patrons.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets food safety standards to reduce the spread of germs in bars and restaurants, and there are several licenses and certificates for food handling to help improve overall cleanliness. However, for additional protection in areas where food and drink are served, install plexiglass food shields and other safety barriers that stop the spread of bacteria. When used in conjunction with strict cleaning and handwashing procedures, your casino can effectively combat health concerns in restaurant and bar locations.

Getting Back to Gaming
Casinos play an integral role in America’s economy and the social lives of many adults across the country. However, the risk of disease transmission increases in the high-traffic areas of casinos. As a major employer and form of revenue for many different states, these entertainment venues must invest in the most valuable cleaning solutions available for casinos today.
Aside from using standard, store-bought cleaning solutions, enforcing social distancing or masks, and implementing stringent sanitation requirements, you can also install sneeze guards for casinos. Patrons will appreciate the additional protection as they play at card tables or hit the slots.
If you’re ready to re-open at full force but still feel unprepared for the increasing volume of people in your casino, plexiglass shields and sneeze guards are a great solution. Contact Barrier Lab to speak with a specialist about outfitting your casino with sneeze guards today.