San Jose to allow tented cardrooms

San Jose lawmakers have voted to reopen cardrooms in bid to get tax revenues rolling again, but activities must take place outside.

US.- Lawmakers voted 10-1 to reopen San Jose’s two cardrooms in a bid to bring in much-needed tax revenues.

The cardrooms will resume operations outside under giant tents in order to maintain Covid-19 prevention measures.

The decision will see Bay 101 and Casino M8trix follow in the footsteps of Californian Casinos, which have also taken operations outside.

In the fiscal year 2018-2019, the two cardrooms generated around $18.9 million for the city. Similar revenues were expected this year, but in the context of the pandemic tax revenues dropped to $13.5 million (a 28 per cent decline from last year).

Vice president of Casino M8trix, Robert Lindo, commented: “Anything Casino M8trix can do to get our employees back to work safely, to generate some much-needed tax revenue for the city of San Jose, and to provide outdoor entertainment and food and beverage to our amazing patrons, would be spectacular,”

Other sanitary measures likely to be imposed inside the tents include obligatory face masks, a reduced number of players, glass shields between players and dealers and increased cleaning.