Covid-19 restrictions in Nevada have forced Press Start, an arcade bar in Reno, to press stop on its business. The city was out looking for non-compliant businesses, according to News 4, and found one in Press Start, which was operating its arcade and bar – apparently against the law in the state.
“If the bar is going to be open, per the governor’s order, the arcades need to be shut down or if the arcades are open then the bar needs to be shut down,” said Alex Woodley with the city’s code enforcement division. According to News 4, there is an exemption for casino-style gaming, as it is regulated by the Gaming Control Board.
John Simpson, owner of Press Start, said operating as one or the other didn’t make financial sense for him. “After the second closure, we switched to arcade only,” he said. “That, while there was a lot of community support, was not enough. The bills kept piling up. We were just trying to hold on to get the bar reopened and so being a bar or being an arcade is effectively a closure.”