It has been less than a year since Caesars' Planet Hollywood reopened its Las Vegas poker room, but the casino is closing the doors on the 23-table dedicated venue.
The cardroom will close its doors on January 31, reducing the total number of poker rooms in Vegas to just 18.
The downfall comes on the back of a successful World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) series earlier this month and has likely been fuelled by the decision to open the card room on the casino's second floor.
Poker room downfall
Its location gave it the feel of a dedicated poker room, but it also meant fewer passing casino players. Other mitigating factors include competition from nearby top-tier poker rooms and a general downturn in Las Vegas visitor numbers.
Las Vegas card rooms were forced to close down during the pandemic. Like many others, Planet Hollywood's poker room did not open immediately after lockdowns ended either; instead, it waited until last year.
In April 2025, Planet Hollywood announced it planned to reopen the room. But rather than reopening on the main floor of the casino, where it had been located until its closure in 2021, it would open as a dedicated room on the newly refurbished second floor.
The idea behind the move was to provide a more intimate card game area, away from the hubbub of the aptly named 'Pleasure Pit' on the main floor. Being situated next to what is described as a high-energy gaming area, Planet Hollywood's poker area divided opinions. Some loved it. Others didn't.
The move ensured a successful WSOPC series earlier in January with the main event attracting 616 entrants and a $500,000 guaranteed pot; Darren Rabinowitz took the $175,000 main prize.
But while the series performed well, the poker room did not.
Cash game traffic was low, exacerbated by dwindling Las Vegas visitor numbers. While casinos have generally evolved their business models to protect revenue figures, the majority have reported reduced player numbers, and that has an obvious effect on cash games.
It isn't just visitor numbers that have dropped in the gambling capital of the world, either. The Strip, as well as surrounding areas like Fremont Street, has seen poker rooms closing or failing to reopen after the pandemic.
Most poker traffic is now concentrated at major card rooms like Bellagio, which has 37 dedicated tables, and Aria, which consistently attracts huge numbers of players. This has made it increasingly difficult for mid-weight poker rooms to survive.
Caesars Entertainment poker consolidation
Planet Hollywood has said that the poker room's staff will not lose their jobs. They will be transferred to Caesars Palace or Horseshoe, also owned by parent company Caesars Entertainment.
The Caesars Palace poker room underwent a recent relocation of its own. While casino floor renovations were underway, the World Series of Poker room was moved to a satellite location in the Appian Way retail area.
Poker returned to its intended sportsbook-adjacent home in November last year, although its table count dropped from 18 to just 16.
