Bellagio is a landmark for Vegas poker. In short, bellagio is the place to play for status, or certain limits or games you can't find anywhere else. You probably have one of the best and biggest selections of games and limits in town that run consitantly around the clock. The floor at Bellagio is BY FAR the rudest and least friendly in town. Bellagio poker tournament schedule and information, including starting times, buy-ins, prize pool guarantees, and freerolls. A user registered for wait list from.
The Bellagio and Caesars Palace, which were the first of MGM Resorts and Caesars International properties to reopen on June 4, reopened their poker rooms two weeks later on Thursday, June 18 at 10 a.m.
They're not the first casinos to reopen their poker rooms, however, trailing behind The Golden Nugget, The Orleans, The Venetian, the South Point, and Sahara Las Vegas, who reopened its poker room on the same day.
Per guidelines provided by the Nevada Gaming Control Board, poker games are limited to five players per table. Bellagio received approval for six-handed tables. Plexiglass dividers will be placed in between players in compliance with the CDC's social distancing guidelines. While masks on players are not required, at least not yet, they are being strongly encouraged. Masks on dealers and other Bellagio casino personnel are mandatory.
According to the official press release, The Bellagio poker room will be open daily, 24 hours a day, all throughout the week. The poker room will host cash games only initially, with no tournaments allowed at the current time. Players will not be allowed to eat in the room, and no guests or spectators will be allowed in.
According to a Caesars spokesperson, the Caesars Palace poker room will use five-handed tables, and all players will be required to wear masks. The hours of operations are from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m., Thursday through Sunday.
Bellagio's poker room is one of the premier poker rooms in all of Vegas. Its high-stakes room is known as 'Bobby's Room,' named after former MGM Resorts International executive Bobby Baldwin, who was the 1978 World Series of Poker champ. Baldwin also regularly hosts big poker tournaments throughout the world. Craps difference between lay and buying a home.
The largest poker room in the world also reopens today at 6 p.m. It's located inside of the Commerce Casino, which is located just outside of Los Angeles. Games here will be played eight-handed, and players are required to wear masks with plexiglass barriers to divide players safely.
World Series of Poker Online Starts in July
In-person poker is coming back slowly but surely in the gambling mecca of the world, but another major poker event is getting the green light to start in July; that's the World Series of Poker.
While it won't be an in-person event this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, it will be a major online event featuring players from the U.S. and all over the world, with 85 gold bracelet events. Each day in July, a bracelet will be awarded on WSOP.com.
Before the outbreak happened, the WSOP was scheduled to run from May 26 to July 15 at the Rio Convention Center but has since been reworked to be an exclusively online event, much like other major events held this year.
Daniel Negreanu, six-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner, said turning WSOP into an online event to make the show go on was a classic case of the event 'making the best of it.'
Negreanu, who is a Las Vegas resident, says he plans to play in the online tournament until July 19, when the GG Poker tournament, who he is an ambassador for, begins.
The buy-ins for the U.S. online WSOP range from $400 to $3,200.
Bellagio's Supper Club Shut Down After Workers Tests Positive for COVID-19
Bellagio's Mayfair Supper Club, which functions as a part-dining, part-entertainment venue, was one of the first live entertainment venues to reopen in the valley.
However, after one of its kitchen staff tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this week, it was forced to temporarily close its doors on Wednesday, with a reopening date to be determined. According to a MGM Resorts spokesperson, the employee found out about the positive coronavirus result after coming into work on Wednesday.
Prior to that, the employee's last working day was on Sunday. Staff who were in direct contact with the employee were notified of the positive test result.
In a statement released to the Las Vegas Review Journal, Mayfair Supper Club announced that due to an abundance of caution, that they would be closing for the evening, fully sanitizing the work area, and determining who may have come into direct contact with the infected individual.
Nevada Gaming Control Board Updates its Health and Safety Protocols
On Wednesday, the Nevada Gaming Control Board made updates on its health and safety protocols for casinos, tightening up previously released guidelines for gamblers who wish to sit and play. It includes stronger language in the encouragement of patrons to wear face masks while inside of casinos.
For casinos that have no plexiglass barriers at table games, gamblers are required to wear face coverings. That requirement applies to table and card players, spectators, and any other individual who is within six feet of table or card games.
As of now, patrons are not required to wear face masks while inside of the dining establishments inside of casinos.
Requirements for face masks are more stringent for casino staff, without outright mandating them for guests. Properties must now offer all guests with a face covering when they enter into the casino or have 'dedicated signage' alerting patrons to the availability of the personal protective equipment (PPE) and recommended its usage.
Should any patron ask for a mask, it must be provided by a staff member.
Changes Come As People Ease Up on Mask Use
These new changes come as COVID-19 cases across the state have been on steadily increasing, and state officials recognizing the seemingly relaxed attitude toward people wearing them as the reopenings come.
Gaming Control Board Chair Sandra Douglass Morgan, for one, has noticed that people seem to be easing up on mask use, despite the growing evidence that mask usage can prevent the spread of the deadly virus.
Morgan urges people to continue to act responsibly in the age of the coronavirus, especially, not in spite of, restrictions being lifted across the state. She said that if individuals want to be able to come back to Vegas in three or six months or the next year even, they need to be responsible by respecting and following the important guidelines that have been put into place for everyone's ultimate safety.
Policies for Closed Events Have Also Been Updated
The Gaming Control Board also outlined a policy for guidelines pertaining to closed events at gaming properties on Wednesday as well. The closed events policy applies to any live event that would normally have an in-person audience, including concerts, entertainment shows, competition shows, or sporting events.
In order to be able to hold a closed event, the Event Operator is to submit an Operation Plan to the Nevada Gaming Control Board within at least 14 days leading up to the planned event date, to adequately allow the Control Board to review the Operation Plan.
The Operation Plan is to detail the specific steps the Event Operators will follow and comply with, a floor plan or diagram of the Event venue, Event personnel details, such as the number of personnel involved, the function of personnel members, details on internal systems being used for the Event, and an overview of sanitation procedures.
Event Operators are to consider all applicable Federal, state, and local social distancing guidelines, such as the capacity limits of public gatherings, and the spacing of individual personnel and Event performers per social distancing guidelines.
Current COVID-19 Trends in Nevada
Casinos were allowed to reopen in Phase 2 of Nevada's phased reopening plan, per Gov. Steve Sisolak's orders. The state was deemed ready to reopen based on the steady, downward trajectory trend of COVID-19 positive cases and the number of hospitalizations.
Now, the state continues to monitor the influx of coronavirus cases as casinos, restaurants, and other businesses have reopened.
Currently, the Silver State crossed 12,000 COVID-19 cases on Thursday, reporting 234 new cases as of Wednesday, marking a 2 percent single-day growth rate out of a batch of 3,767 Now, the state has 12,076 cases it reports.
It's unsure whether the slight uptick of cases is a result of casinos reopening, the George Floyd protests that occurred throughout the Strip and Downtown LV which saw many protestors shoulder-to-shoulder, or a combination of both.
Pools at many resorts have also reopened, with many day pools being packed on the two weekends following casinos reopening.
We will have to continue to wait and see where the majority of these new cases are being reported out of.
On Governor Sisolak's Monday address to the state, he announced that Nevada would stay in Phase 2 at least until the end of the month. He expressed disdain in the fact that many Nevadans were not wearing face coverings while out in public, and that being a major cause for concern and reason for pushing back Phase 3 of his reopening plan.
Stay Tuned
While we're thrilled that casinos in the state and across the country (for the most part) have been given the green light to reopen amid the pandemic, we hope that the number of COVID-19 begins to decrease soon.
Have you been to Las Vegas since its reopened? Are you a local who's been back into town since the reopenings keep trickling in? And will you be playing at one of the reopened poker rooms soon?
Recently, the Sahara Las Vegas announced its new reservation system for table games, the first-of-its-kind in the city in response to COVID-19 protocols, as well as the reopening of its poker room.
Be sure to check back for more coverage regarding Las Vegas reopening news.
Four live poker rooms are now open in Pennsylvania. The rooms where you can find live poker right now are:
- The Meadows
- Mount Airy Casino
- Mohegan Sun Pocono
- Rivers Casino Pittsburgh
These five live poker rooms are currently closed:
- Parx (opening Dec. 15)
- Hollywood Casino
- Presque Isle Downs
- Wind Creek Casino
- Rivers Casino Philadelphia (reopened but closed again on Nov. 20)
In the New Year, players will also have another live poker option in Philadelphia. Live! Casino and Hotel in Philly will open in early 2021, and a 29-table poker room should open with it, pending COVID-19 restrictions.
We will continue to update casino and poker room closings and reopening plans in this second wave at our live updates page here.
Parx poker room reopening in mid-December
Pennsylvania's largest poker room announced a date for its long-awaited return. Parx Poker Room will reopen on Dec. 15 at 9.m. with all of its usual games and be open 24 hours. The news came via Parx's website.
What's up at Wind Creek's poker room?
With 26 tables, Wind Creek Casino has one of the larger poker rooms in PA. A representative from Wind Creek told PlayPennsylvania they had no update on when the poker room would open.
A Wind Creek employee provided an update on some of the happenings at Wind Creek including the poker room. Read the full story here.
PA poker rooms opening one by one
Other poker rooms in Pennsylvania could be reopening any day. According to a spokesperson for the PGCB, casinos submit plans and safety protocols for review. Once they receive final approval from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB), they can reopen.
It's positive news for poker players who have been waiting a long time to get back to live games. Casinos in Pennsylvania started shutting down to slow the spread of coronavirus in mid-March. They did not begin to welcome back guests until June, and poker rooms were not open due to the social nature of the game.
PlayPennsylvania has contacted poker room reps for Hollywood Casino, Wind Creek Casino, and Presque Isle Downs Casino but they had no concrete plans to share.
We will continue to update you here as more rooms open or set a date for reopening.
Live Poker returned to Rivers Philadelphia but closed again
Rivers Casino Philadelphia reopened its poker room on Oct. 23. It did so with approval for up to 14 tables with a capacity of 100 guests. Under normal circumstances, the room has 28 tables and offers a variety of poker games but now the action returned with primarily No Limit Texas Hold'em cash games.
According to a recent press release, in addition to the existing casino-wide safety measures, the following precautions are in effect for the poker room (when it is open):
- Masks must be worn at all times
- Poker dealers will wear both a mask and a face shield
- Each poker table in play will have plexiglass dividers, separating players and the dealer
- A maximum of seven players allowed per table
- Frequent and thorough cleaning of all cards, chips and surfaces
- Only sanitized chips bought from the poker room cage will be used in play
- No food, beverage or smoking is permitted in the poker room or anywhere on the Rivers Casino gaming floor
Peter Longi, assistant general manager at Rivers Casino Philadelphia, commented:
'Poker players are excited to be back at the tables, enjoying the game they love. Our reopening was carefully planned with the safety of our team and guests being the primary concern. We're eager to welcome back our poker team.'
To assist with social distancing, players are encouraged to call the poker room at 215-717-3883 to put their name on the waiting list when the room reopens. Guests can also check the Bravo Poker Live online or the website's mobile app for the Rivers Casino poker room up-to-the-minute game status. In addition, players will have a chance to win their share of the $100,000 Bad Beat Jackpot. The minimum qualifying hand is quad 2s.
Rivers had to close its poker room once again along with the rest of the casino until at least Jan. 1, 2021.
Here's a look at a poker table at Rivers Philadelphia:
Players pine for poker
When the PGCB released its casino reopening protocols in late May, part of them stated that poker rooms were not authorized to operate due to players' handling of cards and chips. They also said poker room operations would be re-examined based on changes in the CDC's and PA Department of Health's 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.'
Poker is back in New Jersey, too
New Jersey also had a long poker pause. The Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa reopened its poker room, the largest in the state, on Oct. 21. The room is operating with 30 socially distanced tables. It's about a third of the room's 85 tables when operating at full capacity.
The Bellagio in Las Vegas opened its poker room in June. Nevada state guidelines mandated five-handed play in 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.
When will poker rooms in Pennsylvania reopen?
Play Pennsylvania will continue to provide updates here as more casinos announce plans and reopen live poker.
Hollywood Casino live poker update
Currently closed.
Information about Hollywood Casino Poker Room:
- 17 tables
- Monday nights, $200 high hand, every 30 minutes; Wednesdays and 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
The Meadows poker room opened on Oct. 23 with daily hours of 11 a.m. – 1 a.m.
Welcome back Poker Players! pic.twitter.com/9X66QuZqXp
— Meadows Casino (@MeadowsCasino) October 23, 2020
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
Mount Airy's poker room reopened on Oct. 16 and is open 24 hours.
Information about Mount Airy Casino Poker Room:
- 12 tables
- Games such as Texas hold'em, Omaha and stud
Mohegan Sun Pocono live poker update
Mohegan Sun Pocono's poker room reopened on Oct. 16.
Information about Mohegan Sun Pocono Poker Room:
- Eight 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
Parx sent out an email in mid-November saying they were finalizing plans but hoped to re-open poker 'before the end of December.'
Information about the Parx Casino Poker Room:
- 80 tables — the most 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 tournament: Parx Big Stax
Presque Isle Downs live poker update
The poker room is currently closed.
Information about Presque Isle Downs Poker Room:
- Seven tables
- Games like hold'em and Omaha. Also offering multitable and single-table tournaments (sit and go's)
Rivers Casino Philadelphia live poker update
Rivers Philadelphia reopened poker on Oct. Slot pencil sharpener tools. 23. But it is closed once again as of Nov. 20 along with the casino to comply with city orders. It could reopen as soon as Jan. 1.
Cards are in the air! Welcome back players! $200 high hands are on every hour 24/7 all of October! Call 215-717-3883 to reserve your seat. pic.twitter.com/MwcxTABsNM
— Rivers Philadelphia Poker Room (@riverspokerphl) October 23, 2020
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
Rivers Casino Pittsburgh opened on Nov. 11. And beginning Nov. 16, Rivers Pittsburgh will operate 24/7, according to their twitter.
We are excited to announce that the Poker Room will be opening on Wednesday, November 11th at 4PM. We can't wait to welcome you back!
Learn more about what you can expect and current hours: https://t.co/heQ3qJyQbV
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler pic.twitter.com/FjgJY2cC7v
— Rivers Casino Pittsburgh (@WinBigRivers) November 10, 2020
Information about Rivers Casino Pittsburgh Poker Room:
- 30 tables
- Poker promotions and tournaments listed on site when available
Wind Creek Bethlehem live poker update
Wind Creek poker room remains closed.
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 its WSOP-branded room in August.
More online poker operators coming to PA
PokerStars arrived in Pennsylvania in November 2019 and has been the state's only operator for 11 months. Partypoker 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. It has a self-branded poker platform, and its 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.
Bellagio Poker Waiting List Download
Health and safety at PA casinos
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 the COVID-19 Casino Reopening Protocols, which detail the minimum safety and health-related requirements that are mandatory before reopening.
Casinos may also choose to have 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.
- There must be markings on the floor to promote social distancing.
- Enhanced cleaning is required 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.
Bellagio Poker Waiting List 2019
Policies for Closed Events Have Also Been Updated
The Gaming Control Board also outlined a policy for guidelines pertaining to closed events at gaming properties on Wednesday as well. The closed events policy applies to any live event that would normally have an in-person audience, including concerts, entertainment shows, competition shows, or sporting events.
In order to be able to hold a closed event, the Event Operator is to submit an Operation Plan to the Nevada Gaming Control Board within at least 14 days leading up to the planned event date, to adequately allow the Control Board to review the Operation Plan.
The Operation Plan is to detail the specific steps the Event Operators will follow and comply with, a floor plan or diagram of the Event venue, Event personnel details, such as the number of personnel involved, the function of personnel members, details on internal systems being used for the Event, and an overview of sanitation procedures.
Event Operators are to consider all applicable Federal, state, and local social distancing guidelines, such as the capacity limits of public gatherings, and the spacing of individual personnel and Event performers per social distancing guidelines.
Current COVID-19 Trends in Nevada
Casinos were allowed to reopen in Phase 2 of Nevada's phased reopening plan, per Gov. Steve Sisolak's orders. The state was deemed ready to reopen based on the steady, downward trajectory trend of COVID-19 positive cases and the number of hospitalizations.
Now, the state continues to monitor the influx of coronavirus cases as casinos, restaurants, and other businesses have reopened.
Currently, the Silver State crossed 12,000 COVID-19 cases on Thursday, reporting 234 new cases as of Wednesday, marking a 2 percent single-day growth rate out of a batch of 3,767 Now, the state has 12,076 cases it reports.
It's unsure whether the slight uptick of cases is a result of casinos reopening, the George Floyd protests that occurred throughout the Strip and Downtown LV which saw many protestors shoulder-to-shoulder, or a combination of both.
Pools at many resorts have also reopened, with many day pools being packed on the two weekends following casinos reopening.
We will have to continue to wait and see where the majority of these new cases are being reported out of.
On Governor Sisolak's Monday address to the state, he announced that Nevada would stay in Phase 2 at least until the end of the month. He expressed disdain in the fact that many Nevadans were not wearing face coverings while out in public, and that being a major cause for concern and reason for pushing back Phase 3 of his reopening plan.
Stay Tuned
While we're thrilled that casinos in the state and across the country (for the most part) have been given the green light to reopen amid the pandemic, we hope that the number of COVID-19 begins to decrease soon.
Have you been to Las Vegas since its reopened? Are you a local who's been back into town since the reopenings keep trickling in? And will you be playing at one of the reopened poker rooms soon?
Recently, the Sahara Las Vegas announced its new reservation system for table games, the first-of-its-kind in the city in response to COVID-19 protocols, as well as the reopening of its poker room.
Be sure to check back for more coverage regarding Las Vegas reopening news.
Four live poker rooms are now open in Pennsylvania. The rooms where you can find live poker right now are:
- The Meadows
- Mount Airy Casino
- Mohegan Sun Pocono
- Rivers Casino Pittsburgh
These five live poker rooms are currently closed:
- Parx (opening Dec. 15)
- Hollywood Casino
- Presque Isle Downs
- Wind Creek Casino
- Rivers Casino Philadelphia (reopened but closed again on Nov. 20)
In the New Year, players will also have another live poker option in Philadelphia. Live! Casino and Hotel in Philly will open in early 2021, and a 29-table poker room should open with it, pending COVID-19 restrictions.
We will continue to update casino and poker room closings and reopening plans in this second wave at our live updates page here.
Parx poker room reopening in mid-December
Pennsylvania's largest poker room announced a date for its long-awaited return. Parx Poker Room will reopen on Dec. 15 at 9.m. with all of its usual games and be open 24 hours. The news came via Parx's website.
What's up at Wind Creek's poker room?
With 26 tables, Wind Creek Casino has one of the larger poker rooms in PA. A representative from Wind Creek told PlayPennsylvania they had no update on when the poker room would open.
A Wind Creek employee provided an update on some of the happenings at Wind Creek including the poker room. Read the full story here.
PA poker rooms opening one by one
Other poker rooms in Pennsylvania could be reopening any day. According to a spokesperson for the PGCB, casinos submit plans and safety protocols for review. Once they receive final approval from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB), they can reopen.
It's positive news for poker players who have been waiting a long time to get back to live games. Casinos in Pennsylvania started shutting down to slow the spread of coronavirus in mid-March. They did not begin to welcome back guests until June, and poker rooms were not open due to the social nature of the game.
PlayPennsylvania has contacted poker room reps for Hollywood Casino, Wind Creek Casino, and Presque Isle Downs Casino but they had no concrete plans to share.
We will continue to update you here as more rooms open or set a date for reopening.
Live Poker returned to Rivers Philadelphia but closed again
Rivers Casino Philadelphia reopened its poker room on Oct. 23. It did so with approval for up to 14 tables with a capacity of 100 guests. Under normal circumstances, the room has 28 tables and offers a variety of poker games but now the action returned with primarily No Limit Texas Hold'em cash games.
According to a recent press release, in addition to the existing casino-wide safety measures, the following precautions are in effect for the poker room (when it is open):
- Masks must be worn at all times
- Poker dealers will wear both a mask and a face shield
- Each poker table in play will have plexiglass dividers, separating players and the dealer
- A maximum of seven players allowed per table
- Frequent and thorough cleaning of all cards, chips and surfaces
- Only sanitized chips bought from the poker room cage will be used in play
- No food, beverage or smoking is permitted in the poker room or anywhere on the Rivers Casino gaming floor
Peter Longi, assistant general manager at Rivers Casino Philadelphia, commented:
'Poker players are excited to be back at the tables, enjoying the game they love. Our reopening was carefully planned with the safety of our team and guests being the primary concern. We're eager to welcome back our poker team.'
To assist with social distancing, players are encouraged to call the poker room at 215-717-3883 to put their name on the waiting list when the room reopens. Guests can also check the Bravo Poker Live online or the website's mobile app for the Rivers Casino poker room up-to-the-minute game status. In addition, players will have a chance to win their share of the $100,000 Bad Beat Jackpot. The minimum qualifying hand is quad 2s.
Rivers had to close its poker room once again along with the rest of the casino until at least Jan. 1, 2021.
Here's a look at a poker table at Rivers Philadelphia:
Players pine for poker
When the PGCB released its casino reopening protocols in late May, part of them stated that poker rooms were not authorized to operate due to players' handling of cards and chips. They also said poker room operations would be re-examined based on changes in the CDC's and PA Department of Health's 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.'
Poker is back in New Jersey, too
New Jersey also had a long poker pause. The Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa reopened its poker room, the largest in the state, on Oct. 21. The room is operating with 30 socially distanced tables. It's about a third of the room's 85 tables when operating at full capacity.
The Bellagio in Las Vegas opened its poker room in June. Nevada state guidelines mandated five-handed play in 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.
When will poker rooms in Pennsylvania reopen?
Play Pennsylvania will continue to provide updates here as more casinos announce plans and reopen live poker.
Hollywood Casino live poker update
Currently closed.
Information about Hollywood Casino Poker Room:
- 17 tables
- Monday nights, $200 high hand, every 30 minutes; Wednesdays and 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
The Meadows poker room opened on Oct. 23 with daily hours of 11 a.m. – 1 a.m.
Welcome back Poker Players! pic.twitter.com/9X66QuZqXp
— Meadows Casino (@MeadowsCasino) October 23, 2020
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
Mount Airy's poker room reopened on Oct. 16 and is open 24 hours.
Information about Mount Airy Casino Poker Room:
- 12 tables
- Games such as Texas hold'em, Omaha and stud
Mohegan Sun Pocono live poker update
Mohegan Sun Pocono's poker room reopened on Oct. 16.
Information about Mohegan Sun Pocono Poker Room:
- Eight 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
Parx sent out an email in mid-November saying they were finalizing plans but hoped to re-open poker 'before the end of December.'
Information about the Parx Casino Poker Room:
- 80 tables — the most 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 tournament: Parx Big Stax
Presque Isle Downs live poker update
The poker room is currently closed.
Information about Presque Isle Downs Poker Room:
- Seven tables
- Games like hold'em and Omaha. Also offering multitable and single-table tournaments (sit and go's)
Rivers Casino Philadelphia live poker update
Rivers Philadelphia reopened poker on Oct. Slot pencil sharpener tools. 23. But it is closed once again as of Nov. 20 along with the casino to comply with city orders. It could reopen as soon as Jan. 1.
Cards are in the air! Welcome back players! $200 high hands are on every hour 24/7 all of October! Call 215-717-3883 to reserve your seat. pic.twitter.com/MwcxTABsNM
— Rivers Philadelphia Poker Room (@riverspokerphl) October 23, 2020
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
Rivers Casino Pittsburgh opened on Nov. 11. And beginning Nov. 16, Rivers Pittsburgh will operate 24/7, according to their twitter.
We are excited to announce that the Poker Room will be opening on Wednesday, November 11th at 4PM. We can't wait to welcome you back!
Learn more about what you can expect and current hours: https://t.co/heQ3qJyQbV
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler pic.twitter.com/FjgJY2cC7v
— Rivers Casino Pittsburgh (@WinBigRivers) November 10, 2020
Information about Rivers Casino Pittsburgh Poker Room:
- 30 tables
- Poker promotions and tournaments listed on site when available
Wind Creek Bethlehem live poker update
Wind Creek poker room remains closed.
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 its WSOP-branded room in August.
More online poker operators coming to PA
PokerStars arrived in Pennsylvania in November 2019 and has been the state's only operator for 11 months. Partypoker 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. It has a self-branded poker platform, and its 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.
Bellagio Poker Waiting List Download
Health and safety at PA casinos
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 the COVID-19 Casino Reopening Protocols, which detail the minimum safety and health-related requirements that are mandatory before reopening.
Casinos may also choose to have 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.
- There must be markings on the floor to promote social distancing.
- Enhanced cleaning is required 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.
Bellagio Poker Waiting List 2019
Bellagio Poker Waiting List Online
Be sure to check back often as we continue to post updates on PA poker room reopenings here.
Bellagio Poker Room Waiting List
Lead image of Meadows poker room via AP Photo/Keith Srakocic.