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With poker slowly returning to Las Vegas, the question that concerned parties bring up is not if the game would return, but rather what would happen to poker rooms that don’t restart their operations soon.

Earlier in October, the Press of Atlantic did outline a possible scenario for the restart of the game in New Jersey, the other major hub for poker in the United States, suggesting that it’s a bit of a guessing work as well.

Caesars Entertainment Steve Callender commented earlier this month that restarting poker would be toughest of all gaming verticals, and he noted that he wouldn’t want to volunteer date for that happening.

Brands, such as Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment, which just recently acquired a license to operate in Las Vegas and Nebraska, opted out from poker directly.

Yet, Las Vegas, known for its high concentration of poker rooms, is now keeping the lights off on at least half of them, with no clarity on when businesses can restart.

According to the Las Vegas Review – Journal (LVRJ), most casinos floor managers haven’t responded to requests for information on whether poker rooms will be restarted at shuttered properties.

Casinos Transforming Poker Rooms into Sports Lounges, Slot Parlors

Closures have been rather wide-spread, including some of the top properties in the city. Caesars and The Rio poker room are both closed with officials who have not volunteered any information as to when they might reopen.

On the flipside, the Bally’s poker room reopened in September, and it has been hosting games between 6 pm and 2 am on weekends, starting on Fridays.

Another noteworthy property is The Excalibur’s room which has been closed since the pandemic struck.

While some spaces are disused, the Mandalay Bay has decided to convert its poker space into a BetMGM lounge for sports enthusiasts, and make sure that the property is riding the crest of sports’ return.

The Mirage room has been converted into a non-smoking area for slot gamers. MGM confirmed for LVRJ that the room would remain shut until there are any developments around it, probably meaning an improvement in the overall epidemiological situation.

Following in the examples of others, The Green Valley Ranch Resort has converted its poker room into a football hub for fans to flock and share in the NFL season bonanza. And, if the Palace Station room to reopen, visitors would need to undergo very thorough screenings at the entrance.