Boyd Gaming Tells Casino Employees No More Masks, Finally

By Scott Roeben, on January 24 2025
6 min read 21 comments
Las Vegas

Boyd Gaming has updated its mask policy and the change has resulted in a full-scale kerfuffle. Or possibly a brouhaha.

An internal memo about the policy change was shared in social media, Boyd has declined to officially comment. Basically, Boyd’s policy now says its employees should not wear masks.

We’ve been advocating a mask ban for customer-facing casino employees for a damn year, at least, so this was welcome news. There are some asterisks related to the new policy, however. There are always asterisks.

They were the worst of times and the worst of times.

This highly-charged subject arose after our friend @LasVegasLocally Tweeted a rumor: “Rumor has it Boyd Gaming has banned employees from wearing face masks unless they get an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act.”

The rumor originally appeared on Reddit.

We reached out to a well-placed source at Boyd Gaming and were informed the rumor was “false,” so we shared that information on Twitter.

Las Vegas Locally then shared the memo that sparked an online melee. Otherwise known as “Wednesday.”

Needless to say, we were incredibly not annoyed Las Vegas Locally bested us by getting the document first.

The memo states, “The dress and grooming policy was recently updated to remove references to the use of face coverings. Properties are no longer required to provide face coverings to team members. Effective immediately, see the two ways when team members will be approved to wear a mask. Otherwise, team members should not wear a mask.”

The two ways to get approval to wear a mask under the new policy: 1) Employees can go to H.R. if they “need a reasonable accommodation for a disability recognized by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) or equivalent state law.” 2) Team members recovering from Covid-19 can wear a mask for the first five days after they return to work.

We reached out to Boyd again to get clarification, and were told: “If an employee goes to H.R. and requests to wear a mask, they’ll be permitted to do so.”

The plot thickens.

Smize
This is not a Boyd employee. Boyd doesn’t do go-go dancers or outdoor bars, as such distractions might cause guests to step away from the slot machines. We are not making this up.

So, how can two seemingly contradictory things be true at the same time? It’s true the official policy is no masks and it’s also true employees who ask can wear masks?

Because this is complicated.

The background: Boyd Gaming is probably the most conservative (not politically, the other kind) casino company in town. Like old-school.

Here’s Boyd’s mission statement: “We, as members of Boyd Gaming Corporation, operate with only the highest degree of integrity and rely on the competence and friendliness of each person in our organization to provide entertainment and service to satisfy our guests’ wants. Through teamwork, we strive to maximize shareholder value, to be among the leading companies in our industry, and to provide opportunities for all while we support and enhance our communities.”

Things you won’t find in Boyd’s mission statement: “We take the lead on controversial topics or policies.” Also, you won’t find anything about “innovation” or “being first.”

Boyd avoids controversy like the plague, especially if it could result in backlash.

In this situation, Boyd wants employees to stop wearing masks, but they know it’s a sensitive subject (yes, still), so they aren’t clarifying the policy because they don’t really want to amplify it. An ostrich keeps its head in the sand for a reason: No calls from “60 Minutes.”

They sort of want to leave it ambiguous as it makes the intention clear (stop wearing masks) without making it sound like the company is being insensitive to the few employees who are taking advantage of a pandemic that ended years ago to wear a face covering because they don’t like cigarette smoke or don’t want to do their make-up that day (not sexist, that was actually a thing we heard from casino employees when masks were mandated) or who use masks as some kind of symbol of personal freedom or other similar nonsense.

Look, here’s the bottom line: Even when masks were most useful, their usefulness was negligible.

Boyd actually gets into the reasoning behind the policy, and we agree with it one hundred percent.

The memo states: “A number of considerations were factors in the Company’s decision to modify the policy on face coverings, including the following: Updated CDC Guidance. In March 2024, the CDC adopted a unified approach to addressing common respiratory viral illnesses, such as COVID-19, flu, and RSV. In deciding to treat COVID-19 the same as the flu and RSV, the CDC recognized that the U.S. is seeing far fewer hospitalizations and deaths associated with COVID-19 and presently has more and better tools to combat respiratory illnesses. It also noted that more than 98% of the U.S. population has some protective immunity against COVID-19 from vaccination, prior infection, or both. Thus, the CDC found COVID-19’s health impacts are now similar to other respiratory viruses. Also, in September 2024, the CDC took the position that masks are not usually recommended in non-healthcare settings.”

Let’s repeat a key fact for everyone still fighting the mask fight from 2020: “In September 2024, the CDC took the position that masks are not usually recommended in non-healthcare settings.”

It’s sort of ridiculous this has to be explained now, as this was common knowledge even before the CDC updated its guidance. Big casinos have to do a lot of hand-holding.

The crux of the policy update, however, is more about the business of running casinos. It’s what we’ve been shouting at the clouds about masks since forever. We take some heat for being ahead of the curve, but that’s what makes us “vital.” Otherwise, the brand would be “Dispensable Vegas,” which is rude. During the pandemic, we wrote one of our most sarcastic posts, ever, “11 Reasons the Return of Mandatory Masks in Casinos is Awesome.” We wrote another story about how Las Vegas was the “smizing capitol of the world” during the mask mandates.

Here’s what Boyd says: “Face coverings impair our ability to provide a warm and welcoming atmosphere for our guests and to provide experiences that exceed their expectations. For example, use of face coverings dampens sound, restricts clarity of verbal communications, precludes brightening a guest’s day with warm, friendly, and genuine smile, impairs team members ability to demonstrate the 10/5 rule.”

Hear, hear.

Casinos are places for escape and fun. Smiles are part of the gig. Friendliness is a requirement (it’s literally in Boyd’s mission statement), not an option.

Dealers and cocktail servers and bartenders are hired for their personality as much as their job skills.

Masks make people feel like they’re in an operating room, not a casino.

Casino employees didn’t wear masks prior to the pandemic and shouldn’t be allowed to wear them now.

Showgirl smizing
Confirmed: The pandemic caused mass insanity, including in Las Vegas.

Another layer of this policy is also a big deal: Security.

Per the memo, “Face coverings present greater security challenges as they obscure a substantial portion of the wearer’s face, thus limiting facial recognition. Controlling back-of-house access and identifying individuals seeking unauthorized access or engaging in misconduct is more difficult when face coverings are worn.”

This isn’t rocket science. Masks are the antithesis of casinos. You know, like self-control and sobriety.

Oh, and in case you’ve been wondering what the “10/5” rule is, it’s a customer service guideline that says when an employee is within 10 feet of a guest, they should make eye contact and acknowledge the guest. At five feet, they should offer the guest a warm greeting, foot rub and probing tongue kiss. Look, that might not be the exact wording, but it’s our definition of an “experience that exceeds expectations,” so let’s just go with it.

We are actually very impressed Boyd Gaming is at the forefront of this issue, as other casinos have been mum on the subject despite mask-wearing creating a number of challenges, including lost revenue. Masks repel gamblers. Casinos also frown upon dealers who stand with folded arms. It’s off-putting and players walk right by.

Many U.S. companies updated their mask policies ages ago, but casinos often move at a more sloth-like pace. In-N-Out Burger banned employee masks in Aug. 2023, for example. Why? Smiles. This isn’t rocket science.

At the most basic level, masks violate appearance rules under the pretense of health and safety. (Yes, some people have serious health issues. They should not work in a field where their job involves dozens or hundreds of human interactions every day. People with peanut allergies shouldn’t become elephant trainers, either.)

Casinos have extensive appearance rules. They aren’t negotiable, and everyone knows the conditions of employment.

If you’re interested in the specifics of the “Standards of Appearance” at Boyd, you can find details in the company’s team member handbook.

It’s a lot.

Our vote for best line in Boyd’s appearance policy: “Undergarments are an essential part of a business wardrobe.”

We told you Boyd is old-fashioned.

The point is casinos have strict dress codes.

Masks were a response to an emergency, they were not intended to be a permanent fixture just because cigar smokers are assholes. (They are.) Trust us, we feel for casino employees and are a huge advocate of front line casino employees. Again, two things can be true: 1) Being around smokers is gross and dangerous. 2) Masks aren’t acceptable in casinos.

Casinos and other businesses have had to tiptoe around this issue for far too long.

Boyd Gaming owns nearly 30 casinos across 10 states, with lots in Las Vegas: Aliante, Cannery, Eastside Cannery (closed, possibly for good), Gold Coast, The Orleans, Sam’s Town, Suncoast, California, Fremont and Main Street Station.

We’re with Boyd. Enough with masks, already. We can only hope other casino companies follow suit.

You have every right to hold a different opinion. You were probably wrong about a lot during the pandemic, too. Why stop now?