California Tribal Casino Acquires Body Temperature Kiosks Ahead of June Reopening

Posted on: April 27, 2020, 10:13h. 

Last updated on: April 27, 2020, 12:16h.

A tribal casino in California is buying kiosks that allow guests and employees to have their body temperatures scanned without making contact with the machine.

tribal casino body temperature kiosk
Coronavirus will result in a new norm, and one tribal casino says that will include body temperature kiosks. (Image: Ng Sor Luan/The Straits Times)

The Chumash Casino Resort, owned and operated by the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Mission Indians, has been closed since mid-March by the coronavirus. Last week, the tribal casino announced it will remain closed through the end of May.

When the casino reopens, the facility will be equipped with temperature-taking kiosks. Chumash Casino CEO John Elliott didn’t specify as to the number of kiosks being purchased, but explained people will approach the machine, stand approximately 10 inches away, and the device will reveal their body temperature within three to seven seconds.

The kiosks are FDA-cleared and are as accurate as a manual temperature reading,” said tribal chairman Kenneth Kahn. Each machine can scan one individual at a time.

People who receive a temperature reading of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher will be denied entry. “Access will be denied to employees or guests who exceed the temperature threshold recommended by the CDC or Public Health,” Kahn added.

California has 42,164 confirmed COVID-19 cases, and 1,710 deaths.

Safety First

Located about two hours drive northwest from Los Angeles along the 101, the Chumash Casino features 2,300 slot machines and 45 table games. The property’s 230-room hotel is one of only six AAA four diamond casino resorts in California – the others being Barona Casino, Morongo Casino Resort, Pechanga Resort & Casino, Thunder Valley Casino Resort, and Viejas Casino.

The 2019 coronavirus is said to be a highly contagious disease, but some carriers are asymptomatic. To stop the spread of the respiratory disease by individuals unaware they’re carrying the coronavirus, Chumash will implement various safeguards.

Enhanced cleaning and social distancing practices will remain in place for the foreseeable future. Personal protection equipment, including face masks and splash guards, will also be available to guests and employees.

“Fever is the leading indicator of infection, and the best predictor of infection spread or contagiousness,” explained Khan. “We are working with state and local authorities, and will determine an opening date in concert with the rest of the region.”

Kiosk Details

The California tribal casino did not say which manufacturer is behind its temperature kiosks. The devices are likely to become a staple of the gaming industry in the months and potentially years ahead.

In Macau, the world’s richest gaming hub, casinos reopened with body temperature checks. Casino.org revealed earlier this month that Las Vegas casino executives met to discuss potential safeguards for when their properties reopen, and such kiosks were considered.

A quick Google search for body temperature kiosks turned up numerous manufacturers and products.

A product called VitalSign is a specially designed temperature-check tablet that uses “an advanced algorithm for detecting and calculating heat signatures.” The companies behind the device claim it alerts people who are running a high temperature “within one second and from three feet away.”

VitalSign claims its body temperature readings are accurate within +/- 0.5 degrees Fahrenheit.