The world of poker has been hit hard by the global pandemic, with casinos and card rooms across the globe forced to shut their doors for extended periods of time. However, as more and more countries begin to reopen their economies and ease restrictions, poker players are eager to know whether they’ll be able to get back in action anytime soon.
One question on everyone’s mind is: Is Vegas open for poker tournaments? Let’s find out.
First and foremost, it’s important to note that Las Vegas is widely considered the hub of live poker in the United States, with dozens of casinos offering a wide range of cash games and tournaments year-round. However, like everywhere else in the world, Las Vegas was forced to shut down its casinos in response to COVID-19. The good news is that many of these casinos have reopened over the past few months, although with certain restrictions in place.
As far as poker tournaments are concerned, several major events have already taken place in Las Vegas since the city reopened its casinos. For instance, The Venetian hosted its DeepStack Championship Poker Series in June 2020, which featured over $1 million in guaranteed prize pools spread across 32 events. Similarly, the Wynn Casino hosted its Summer Classic series around the same time, which featured 25 events spread out over two weeks.
However, it’s worth noting that these tournaments were held with several safety measures in place to minimize the risk of COVID-19 transmission. For instance, players were required to wear masks at all times while at the table (except when eating or drinking), while dealers wore full-face shields as an added precaution. Tables were also spaced out further apart than usual, with plexiglass dividers separating players on some occasions.
That being said, there are still some major tournaments that have yet to be rescheduled or canceled due to COVID-19 concerns. For instance, the World Series of Poker (WSOP) – which is held annually at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas – was initially postponed from its usual summer schedule to the fall. However, as of the time of writing, it’s still unclear whether the event will be able to go ahead as planned, given the ongoing pandemic.
In summary, while Las Vegas is open for poker tournaments to a certain extent, there are still some caveats and restrictions in place due to COVID-19 concerns. Nevertheless, several major events have already taken place successfully with new safety measures implemented. So if you’re a poker player itching to get back into live action, Las Vegas might just be your next stop – just make sure you bring your mask along!
