Sin City is back in action, even if it's running with a handicap due to COVID-19
Live poker might be one of the least profitable activities when it comes to casino gambling, but it certainly is one of the most popular ones. Despite some predictions that poker rooms in Las Vegas would struggle after reopening due to severe health and safety restrictions in place, live poker is running better than expected. There are, however, some questions in the air about the future of the game; only three poker rooms in Sin City opened for business.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) allowed poker rooms to reopen for business starting last Thursday; however, conditions changed as operators are only allowed to play four-handed games. Venetian, Orleans, and South Point are the three gambling venues that were surprised with long lines of customers waiting to participate in some live poker action.
During the week, South Point sent a proposal over the gaming board to request authorization to run five-handed games. The proposal was approved before opening on Thursday morning, so the newly renovated poker room in the Strip was allowed to sit five players per table. This move set a chain reaction from the other two poker sites. Orleans started Thursday with four-handed games and, shortly after, it started running five-handed poker games.
So far, all three venues have been crushing their numbers. On Thursday, both the Orleans and South Point had over a dozen games running for most of the day. The Venetian reported a similar success when it reopened its doors last Friday. Due to its strong start, Golden Nugget reopened its doors downtown for poker players on Saturday morning.
