California Poker Rooms Close Once Again Following COVID-19 Spike

Poker rooms in California which recently resumed operations after three months of being on lockdown, have now been ordered to close their doors once again following an alarming increase in COVID-19 cases within the state.

A revised order from Gov. Gavin Newsom issued on July 1, meant that cardrooms in the state would need to stop accepting customers effective immediately. Gov. Newsom already hinted during his public address on 29 June that some businesses might have to prepare for a second closure to prevent the virus from spreading further.

California has the second highest number of coronavirus infections in the country, with over 237,000 confirmed cases so far. Almost half of that number were recorded in Los Angeles County where some of the world’s biggest and most popular cardrooms are located.

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The Commerce Casino, the largest cardroom in the world, lies on East Telegraph Road, housing more than 200 poker tables. The establishment, which reopened just two weeks ago, has announced another temporary closure in compliance with the Governor’s order.

The Bicycle Casino, which has been back in business since June 19, has also halted their operations. This means their popular livestreamed cash game show “Live at the Bike” is also suspended until further notice.

The latest order also impacted the operations of three other rooms which have recently reopened in LA – The Gardens Casino, Hollywood Park Casino and Larry Flint’s Hustler Casino. The sixth poker room in the county, Larry Flint’s Lucky Lady Casino, has remained closed since mid-March.

In addition to poker rooms, other public establishments in some parts of the state such as restaurants, movie theaters, wineries, museums, and zoos have also been ordered to shut their doors. Citizens have been advised to continue wearing a protective face mask and observe strict social distancing, especially as the country prepares for the Fourth of July weekend.

COVID-19 Cases Continue to Rise

The Golden State has so far recorded 6,163 COVID-19 deaths. It remains uncertain when the businesses will be allowed to reopen, but the Governor indicated they might remain closed for at least three weeks, subject for reevaluation.

With cases still rising in the country, there’s real chance that some more states will issue an order to shut down casino operations once again. On July 3, the US reported 55,220 new infections, the biggest single-day increase since the start of the pandemic, bringing the country’s total number of positive cases to more than 2,800,000.

With the lockdown back in place, take this ideal opportunity to checkout our selection of best poker sites offered in the state, as playing online will keep you safe.