Prairie Meadows in Altoona is among multiple Iowa casinos and resorts that are suspending their gaming, hotel and/or racetrack operations indefinitely.

The facility was to be closed, beginning at 5 p.m. Monday, as a response to the ongoing efforts to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, the casino announced in a news release.

In the statement, Prairie Meadows said its board of operations and executive team are suspending operations "out of an abundance of caution for our community, guests and employees."

Joining Prairie Meadows in temporary closure Monday were three Elite Casino Resorts properties in Iowa: Riverside Casino and Golf Resort in Riverside, Rhythm City Casino Resort in Davenport, and Grand Falls Casino Resort in Larchwood.

The casinos stressed that there has been no known case of COVID-19 on their properties. There are 19 licensed and regulated casinos in the state under the purview of the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission.

Q Casino, in Dubuque, and the privately managed Meskwaki Bingo Casino Hotel in Tama will also soon be moving to a temporary suspension of operations, said IRGC administrator Brian Ohorilko.

The casinos' decisions come prior to any announcement or mandate made by either the Iowa governor's office or the IRGC. No such declaration had been made as of 5 p.m. Monday, Ohorilko told the Register.

► MORE:The latest on coronavirus in Iowa.

Iowa Gaming Association president and CEO Wes Ehrecke confirmed the five IRGC-licensed closures or pending closures, and he said facilities choosing to stay open for the time being are operating under heightened health and safety restrictions, such as shutting down buffets and canceling scheduled events or meetings in line with Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds' directive from over the weekend to not hold mass gatherings.

Prairie Meadows has adopted a compensation plan for its roughly 1,350 employees during the closure that will be in effect for up to 30 days, according to the statement. CEO Gary Palmer told the Register on Monday afternoon that employees will receive full pay according to what their average paycheck was for the month of December.

If the facility is to remain closed for longer than the 30-day time frame, the board will re-evaluate its next steps, according to the statement.

The temporary closure will have an effect on the charitable giving arm of the casino in the coming year, Palmer said, noting that the hit will depend on the length of the closure. The annual grant process for charitable giving normally takes place in the early summer months, he said.

Prairie Meadows totaled $37.9 million in charitable giving in 2019, along with paying $51.8 million in taxes.

The state's licensed and regulated casinos earned $1.465 billion in gross revenue in the 2019 fiscal year, which amounted to $291 million in state tax revenue.

"The situation is truly fluid. We're working with the Iowa Department of Public Health and the governor's office. We've also been in near constant contact with various general managers" at other facilities about next steps, Ohorilko said.

He said that he has received questions from multiple casino general managers about regulatory steps that would need to be taken in the case of a temporary shutdown.

Ohorilko said that any sportsbooks that offer mobile applications for legalized athletic wagering can remain in operation. Limited numbers of international events are continuing to take place for now, although all American college and professional sports are on hold.​​​​​​​ Through February, the sports wagering industry in Iowa had brought in $23.27 million in net receipts and $1.625 million in tax revenue on more than $327 million in bets made since the activity was legalized in August 2019.

Almost $57 million was wagered on sports in Iowa last month, according to data from the state commission, and another surge in sports wagering was projected to take place for the NCAA men's and women's basketball tournaments this month before the COVID-19 outbreak reached the U.S. The activity has received majority approval among Iowans since in the months since its legalization.

"It was certainly growing. We have 18 of our 19 casinos with retail up and going," Ehrecke said late last week. "We're getting a great deal of interest from people who enjoy watching, betting and talking about the wagers they are making.

"... This has been a great additional entertainment amenity, and it's evident that people are enjoying it and will continue to do so."

But now, they'll be waiting for what could be a period of months — and not weeks.

► MORE:Here's a map of the coronavirus cases in Iowa

Ehrecke told the Register on Monday that his association will be coordinating closely on additional casino-wide closures that could be taking place over the coming days.

He's aware of the challenges lying ahead for the industry, both in sports wagering and among resorts themselves, and into Americans' everyday lives.

"We're at more than a speed bump. This is a roadblock," Ehrecke said Friday. "But we will get back to something of a new normal. As sports come back on, we won't know how exciting March Madness can be until next year, but we'll continue to grow in the long run — I'm confident in that."

Check back later for further updates on this story.

Danny Lawhon works across the Register’s sports department, from editing, social media and sports wagering to bowls, brackets and data dives. Reach him at dlawhon@registermedia.com or follow @DannyLawhon on Twitter.