The Gaming Control Board said casinos and other gaming establishments are included in the mask mandate approved Tuesday by the Clark County Commission that requires all employees to wear a face covering while working in a public space.

In a statement Wednesday, Control Board Chairman Brin Gibson said the agency would seek disciplinary action against licensees if they violate the mask mandate.

Gibson said the order goes into effect on Thursday at midnight and covers all gaming properties on the Strip, downtown and throughout Clark County.

Gibson said any emergency issues concerning the pandemic are under the control of local county governments acting “in the best interests of their constituents.”

Last week, after the Southern Nevada Health District recommended both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals wear masks in crowded indoor public places, several casino operators implemented various mitigation measures, including the requirement that employees all wear masks while on the job, regardless of vaccination status.

Nevada Resort Association President Virginia Valentine said Monday she expected the gaming industry would support an employee mask mandate. 

The new mask mandate, which members of the Clark County Commission approved unanimously during an emergency meeting on Tuesday, will apply to all businesses in incorporated cities and unincorporated parts of the county.

“The Board is fully supportive of the Southern Nevada Health District and the Clark County Commission in its mask mandate for employees in Clark County,” Gibson said. “The Board will ensure compliance with this requirement in Clark County within the Board’s areas of jurisdiction.”

In June, Mohegan Sun Casino at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas paid a $60,000 fine after several reality television celebrities – who were paid to promote the casino’s March 25 opening – were photographed not wearing masks or facial coverings, as required at the time.

Last year, The Grand Sierra Resort in Reno and the Sahara Las Vegas, which are both owned by Los Angeles-based Meruelo Group, paid a combined $75,000 fine last September for multiple violations of the state’s COVID-19 health and safety guidelines.