Most casinos in the U.S. have reopened or will certainly do so by the end of July. Hooray, let’s have fun—if you think playing blackjack sandwiched by Plexiglas dividers is fun. Online offers convenience, immediacy, and the safety of playing from your own Barcalounger.

The July 4 weekend is always a good one for Atlantic City’s casinos. That’s why people were so excited when New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy allowed them to reopen just before the holiday weekend, almost four months after he forced them to close. But beggars can’t be choosers, so eight of the nine Atlantic City casinos opened their doors on July 2. Only Borgata will remain closed until the situation becomes more stable.

But what did visitors find? Some casinos took the temperatures of every visitor before they could enter. Others asked a kind of 20 Questions quiz about their health. All casinos required everyone—employees and guests—to wear masks. And the day before casinos were set to open, Murphy reversed his decision to allow indoor dining, so all casino restaurants would not be open unless they provided take-out or outdoor dining.

And to cap it all off, drinking was prohibited, as well…

If you’re like me, drinking is part of the gambling experience. Free drinks provided by cocktail servers soothe the pain of losing and make us feel like the casino is giving us a little back. Yes, I know the opposite is probably true. The free drinks make us less inhibited and more reckless with our bankroll. But hey, it’s our money right?

So going back to a casino last week wasn’t what most people remembered. The seriousness of entering a public space that’s been closed for months, along with the spike in the coronavirus cases, put everyone on edge. Security guards were extra-diligent in making sure everyone wore a mask. The banter at table games was limited, because with three players at a blackjack table, full masks and sometimes Plexiglas dividers between the dealers and the players, there was just no incentive to talk.

The normally ebullient craps games were sadly silent, limited to three players per side, and that pesky Plexiglas in use at some casinos as well inhibited conversation and celebrations.

Slot machines weren’t immune either. At least every other machine was deactivated, leaving large gaps in the slot floor. If you wanted to sit next to your partner playing slots, it was a hard sell. And finding the machine you love to play? If every other machine is closed, your chances of finding your favorite just dropped by 50 percent. It can get very aggravating.

But wait until you get hungry. If you can find a restaurant offering take-out, and if you can find a seat somewhere the casino deems acceptable, and if you can clean up after yourself, you’ll be OK. Taking the food back to your room is probably the best idea, but since they’re not cleaning the room until after you check out, those containers will remain under foot until you leave.

No lounges… No entertainment… No food… No fun.

Casinos just won’t be the same until some of these rules are relaxed and people feel safe and secure in a public space.

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So why don’t you play online? If you haven’t already done it during the lockdown, there’s still time to get into the games. If all you want to do is gamble—and that’s all you can do inside a casino these days—why not stay at home where you’re comfortable, safe and healthy?

You’ll have your pick of table games. There’s an amazingly wide variety of games, most with favorable player rules, from blackjack to baccarat, craps to roulette with a variety of options for each game.

And you won’t have to social distance when you play the live games available at GoldenNuggetCasino.com, HardRockCasino.com, BetRivers.com or one of the many other sites that offer live games.

Slot games? Your choices are unlimited in New Jersey with hundreds of games available at most sites, including BorgataCasino.com. You’ll never have to navigate across a casino to find your favorite games, just choose them from a simple menu. And you’ll be getting a better deal, as well. Online slots pay back at a higher rate than their land-based cousins, because the overhead is so much less.

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Yearning to play live slots? Well, head over to HardRockCasino.com. You’ll find all your favorite games, just as you remember them, including the Aristocrat line and the many variations of the Buffalo games. You can’t find them at any other online casino, either live or an online slot game.

And even after the casinos are back to “normal”—whatever that’s going to look like—you’ll discover that online casinos can be a little stress reducer and will even whet your appetite for the live variety, when the fun returns.

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