Posted at: 11/12/2009 7:06 PM
Updated at: 11/12/2009 7:08 PM
By: Lorilyn Prestidge

Casinos Step Up H1N1 Efforts

(ABC 6 NEWS) -- Even with the number of cases going down, businesses are still taking precautions.

With 23 million visitors every year in Iowa alone and with chips, cards, and machines all used by the public area casinos are even ramping up efforts to contain the H1N1 virus.

The slots are ringing at the Diamond Jo casino in Northwood, Iowa. But if you plan on testing your luck on the machines, the blackjack table or craps, you may notice a few new things around like hand sanitizer at the door.

"In addition to that we do clean all of our machines every night," Assistant General Manager of Diamond Jo casino Scott Smith.

With more than a million gamers through their doors every year Diamond Jo's casino says health concerns for their consumers are always important but even more so now, with H1N1 concerns.

"Everyone has to take precautions, you have a lot of people that are in somewhat in close quarters and that's a lot of people coming from all over," said Smith.

And with all those chips and cards, the casino has trained staff not to touch their face while working and to wash their hands when entering and leaving the floor.

"We have been pretty lucky as far as our team base, not being as infected as much as some places we have heard of over the school system and I do credit that to some of the preventative measures that we are doing," said Smith.

Diamond Jo says so far it hasn't seen a decrease in people visiting the casino, but H1N1 concerns are there.

"We have to try and reassure each and every one of those customers that comes through the door that we are taking those precautions just like everybody else is," said Smith.

As for the gamers -- some are taking their own steps.

"We try and keep our hands way from our face," said gamer Sharon Dahn.

Whiles others aren't too concerned.

"It's not worse then a ball game or something like that, i do think," said gamer Paul Brandt.

Still, don't bet on this sanitizer going anywhere in soon.

"My guess, it's going to be all the way until probably spring," said Smith.

Treasure Island and Mystic Lake casinos also say they are now supplying hand sanitizer in their casinos and have had informational meetings with their staff.