We aren’t bluffing. Some poker rooms in Pennsylvania could be reopening in a few weeks. According to a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, some casinos have submitted plans and safety protocols for review. No specific dates or names of properties were given.
However, it’s positive news for poker players who have been waiting a long time to get back to live games. Casinos in Pennsylvania starting shutting down to slow the spread of coronavirus in mid-March. They did not begin to welcome back guests until June but poker rooms were not open due to the social nature of the game.
Closed poker rooms, tight-lipped operators
A representative for Rivers said dates for reopening poker rooms at Rivers Casinos in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are yet to be determined.
A Penn National representative did not have any updates on poker rooms at The Meadows or Hollywood Casino. Play Pennsylvania has requests into other casinos for comment.
So, it seems for now operators are playing it close to the vest.
Anthony Cicala III, a reporter for US Poker offered some insight:
From an insider I was told 6 weeks , 7 person poker opening at Parx
— Anthony F Cicali III (@EataHoagie) October 3, 2020
Players pine for poker
When the PGCB released their casino reopening protocols in late May, a part of it stated that poker rooms were not authorized to operate due to players handling of cards and chips. Poker room operations would be re-examined based upon changes with the CDC and PA Department of Health guidance.
On June 9, Rivers Casino Pittsburgh was the first to welcome back visitors. When asked when poker rooms would return, PGCB Director of Communication Doug Harbach said poker rooms present a different type of challenge since people are sitting close together in a room. He said at the time:
“The casinos want to walk before they run and make sure they are getting the venue open and then move on to opening up other areas once they know the protocols are working well.”
PokerStars, the state’s lone online poker site has posted healthy numbers in PA, but players are still pining for in-person play.
Harbach gave this update to PlayPennsylvania in late August about poker rooms in Pennsylvania:
“There has been no alteration to the casino reopening protocols released by the Gaming Control Board in May in which poker rooms were not authorized to operate. At the same time, this guideline can be reexamined based on health experts’ guidance. Should casinos wish to explore reopening a casino room, it would need to provide plans to do so safely which would be reviewed by the Board on a case-by-case basis.”
No poker in New Jersey; poker room virus precautions elsewhere
Currently, all poker rooms in New Jersey are closed.
The Bellagio in Las Vegas opened its poker room in June. Nevada state guidelines mandated five-handed play at rooms without dividers or plexiglass partitions. However, the Bellagio’s request for six-handed poker games with partitions was approved by the Nevada Gaming Control Board.
Other poker rooms in Nevada have also reopened with virus protocols in place. Here is the set up of the Venetian Poker Room is Las Vegas:
The @VenetianPoker has the best plexiglass system in the US! If I’m wrong, show us ur fav casino system!
They make them in-house. Oh and I bagged a baby stack as @Lexy Gavin’s flavor of the month. pic.twitter.com/hyQ1l6dyfH— Bob Mather Poker (@BobMatherPoker) September 20, 2020
When will poker rooms in Pennsylvania reopen?
Currently, none of the poker rooms are open. PlayPennsylvania will update as they reopen here.
Hollywood Casino live poker update
Information about Hollywood Casino Poker Room:
- 17 tables
- Monday nights $200 high hand, every 30 minutes; Wednesdays & Thursdays $200 high hand, every 30 minutes; Fridays $500 high hand, every 30 minutes; Sundays hourly high hand prizes.
- Bad Beat Jackpot
- Weekly Rack Back Bonus
The Meadows live poker update
Information about The Meadows Poker Room:
- 14 tables
- Live games such as Texas hold’em and Omaha every day
- Progressive bad beat
Mount Airy Casino live poker update
Information about Mount Airy Casino Poker Room:
- 12 tables
- Games such as Texas hold’em, Omaha, and stud
Mohegan Sun Pocono live poker update
Information about Mohegan Sun Pocono Poker Room:
- 8 tables
- Daily tournaments feature “no limit Texas hold ‘Em” and “Bounty” tournaments.
- Offering a Bad Beat Jackpot for BOTH cash and tournament play.
- Each day, $25 added to the Royal Flush Jackpot for each of the four suites.
Parx live poker update
As twitter rumor has it (see above), Parx could reopen poker in mid-November with 7-handed tables.
Information about the Parx Casino Poker Room:
- 80 tables – largest in PA.
- The room offers a variety of no limit hold’em games (from $1-$2 up to $10-$25), limit hold’em ($3-6 up to $30-$60) pot-limit Omaha, Omaha eight or better, and a variety of mixed and draw games.
- Weekly tournaments. Major tournaments: Parx Big Stax.
Presque Isle Downs live poker update
Information about Presque Isle Downs Poker Room:
- 7 tables
- Games like hold’em and Omaha. Also offer multi-table and single table tournaments (sit & go’s).
Rivers Casino Philadelphia live poker update
Information about Rivers Casino Philadelphia Poker Room:
- 28 tables
- Rivers offers a wide variety of poker games including but not limited to Texas hold’em, Omaha-high, Omaha-hi/lo split eight or better, seven card stud-high, seven card stud low, seven card stud hi/lo split and seven card stud hi/lo split eight or better.
- Poker promotions and tournaments listed on site when available.
Rivers Casino Pittsburgh live poker update
Information about Rivers Casino Pittsburgh Poker Room:
- 30 tables
- Poker promotions and tournaments listed on site when available.
Wind Creek Bethlehem live poker update
Information about Wind Creek Bethlehem Poker Room:
- 26 tables
- Variety of games such as limit and no-limit Texas hold ’em, stud, and Omaha. Limits starting at $3 and $6
- Automated shufflers on every poker game
- Bad Beat Jackpot available daily
- Massage service
Lady Luck Nemacolin and Valley Forge do not have poker rooms. PlayPennsylvania exclusively reported that Harrah’s Philadelphia closed their WSOP-branded room in August.
More online poker operators coming to PA
PokerStars arrived in Pennsylvania in Nov. 2019 and has been the state’s only operator for eleven months. Party Poker was rumored to be coming in the early fall, but like most party plans in 2020, it hasn’t happened.
Last week the PGCB approved Caesars‘ online poker partner 888 Holdings for an interactive gaming manufacturer license. 888 Poker was the No. 1 poker website in the country last year. They have a self-branded poker platform and their software powers World Series of Poker (WSOP) online and mobile sites.
It seems only a matter of time before both partypoker and WSOP.com make their way to PA.
Health and safety at PA casinos
When live poker starts again in Pennsylvania, here are a few things you should know in case you have not been to a casino since they reopened. Per the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, all casinos in the state must follow COVID-19 Casino Reopening Protocols, which details the minimum safety and health-related requirements that are mandatory before reopening.
Casinos may also choose to do additional measures such as temperature checks at the entrance.
Key points to remember are:
- Casinos can reopen at 50% capacity. (Rivers Casino Philadelphia is open at 25%.)
- Employees and guests must wear masks.
- Markings on the floor to promote social distancing.
- Enhanced cleaning throughout the facility.
In addition, there is a current pause on smoking at casinos, no drink service on the gaming floor, and no sitting at the bar.
Be sure to check back often as we continue to post updates on PA poker room reopenings here.
Lead image of Meadows poker room via AP Photo/Keith Srakocic.
The post After Seven Months, Return of Live Poker Rooms in Pennsylvania Coming Soon appeared first on Play Pennsylvania.