Gamblers Think This Partitioned Poker Table to Combat COVID-19 Is a Terrible Idea

A Florida casino has unveiled a partitioned poker table, which prevents the players and dealer from breathing on each other while still gambling.

poker table
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Image via Getty/Matthew Horwood

poker table

A Florida casino has created a partitioned poker table with plexiglass, as a way to safely get gamblers in the doors amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Sports radio personality Andy Slater shared the images—from the Hialeah Park racetrack and casino in Hialeah, Florida—which show four players and a dealer seated around the table with face masks. The partition prevents the players from breathing on each other, while the bottom slots allow them to reach for cards and make bets.

NEW: Casino in Hialeah, Florida tests their updated poker tables. pic.twitter.com/VEQ6XuJZAO

— Andy Slater (@AndySlater) May 14, 2020

However, Twitter wasn't too thrilled about the casino’s conceptualized poker table.

New poker tables at a Florida casino.
Unclear what they’re doing about the cards… pic.twitter.com/5fXlaaXpBD

— ian bremmer (@ianbremmer) May 15, 2020

Are they testing them with fake virus and a blacklight to see how many people get infected anyway?

Or just practicing?

— Elizabeth Martinez (@martinezec76) May 15, 2020

No chips? How does the betting work?

Also, aren't they all touching the cards?

— Bob Anderson (@rwa_) May 15, 2020

Looks like a card-counter’s paradise if the casinos enforces the safety mask rule. Just put faux bumps in the masks to throw off the facial recognition lol.

— Curry Mao (@bcm3500) May 15, 2020

Cool now I can see the other players cards from the reflection from plexiglass

— Steelcitysouth (@Chulir17) May 14, 2020

Casino in Hialeah, Florida.
Do you really need to gamble that bad? pic.twitter.com/5istHFhQwg

— ALT-immigration (@ALT_uscis) May 15, 2020

Casinos across the U.S. remain shuttered. The Nevada Gaming Commission recently announced that it’s working on a plan to reopen the state's casinos. While there isn’t an idea of when gaming can begin once again, on Thursday, the gaming control board shared guidelines for reopening casino restaurants. 

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