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Valerie McIntyre, a table gaming supervisor at del Lago casino in the Finger Lakes, led a rally at the state Capitol on Aug. 20, 2020, urging New York leaders to allow casinos to reopen. New York State Team
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ALBANY – Workers at closed casinos in New York rallied at the state Capitol on Thursday to urge Gov. Andrew Cuomo to let the facilities reopen, saying their livelihoods are at stake.
Cuomo has contended that there is still a risk in opening casinos because of COVID-19, saying last month that decisions on reopening are based on "an issue of density, the likelihood of compliance and the essential nature of the business." 
Workers took exception to Cuomo's comments; the rally was attended by about 200 workers.
"Excuse me, governor, we do beg to differ," said Robin Torr, a hotel front desk manager at Tioga Downs.
"We are essential. We’re essential for our families and our communities and to the economy and our state. We need our casinos to be open."
Casinos are one of the few major industries not to reopen on a limited basis with safety precautions since the state shuttered all non-essential businesses in mid-March. Movie theaters and large entertainment facilities also remain closed.
New York has been following the data on the coronavirus infection rate in New York and the latest science to re-open the economy safely, "and we are doing the same when it comes to casinos," saiid Freeman Klopott, spokesman for the state Budget Division.
"Casinos remain closed along with similar activities across the state as they invite congregation among customers in proximity to each other while eating and drinking, activities that don’t allow for consistent mask-wearing."
More: These were the first casinos to reopen in New York
More: When will New York's casinos reopen? What Cuomo and the betting halls are saying
Seven native American casinos in New York in central and western New York have reopened because they are operate on sovereign land, and they are taking their own safety precautions, such as limiting attendance and ensuring social distancing.
And casinos in neighboring states have opened.
But Cuomo has yet to allow the other 13 private casinos and racetracks with video-lottery terminals restart their operations, leaving thousands of workers out of work and leaving the state without hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue.
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