As opposed to other , simpler games like blackjack , poker players are often very particular about what they like and dislike .
Strength in Numbers
As opposed to other , simpler games like blackjack , poker players are often very particular about what they like and dislike .
The once-bustling poker room at Trump Taj Majal closed in 2015
“ And as we know , little by little as time goes on , many of them are , you know , slowly but surely passing away . And so we ’ re seeing the volumes , at least here in Southern California , decrease exponentially over these last several years .”
The data would agree with that sentiment , even across the border in Nevada , the gambling mecca of the U . S .— -according to Statista , the number of casino poker tables in the Silver State increased every year from 2001 to 2010 , peaking at 920 that year . That figure then steadily declined until 2020 , where it bottomed out at 313 . Before anyone starts shoveling dirt , however , it ’ s important to note that 2021 rebounded to a total of 440 , which is actually on par with pre-internet levels .
And in a certain sense , pre-internet expectations may be a good framework for analyzing the game ’ s present and future : the dot-com boom was certainly a gold rush , but it ’ s over now , and that ’ s OK . After all , people still live in Virginia City .
Edna Dalton worked as a poker executive in the ’ 90s and early 2000s , and for her , the game is people-driven , and the strength of the industry will always depend on positive experiences . As one of the few people who was around before and after the online revolution , she remains confident that “ as long as casinos are willing to treat the players decently and respectfully , with decent payouts and time elements , they ’ ll continue to come .”
Dalton previously headed poker ops for both Planet Hollywood and The Venetian , where she got a chance to learn firsthand from some of gaming ’ s most successful and well-known figures . Perhaps the biggest thing they imparted on her , which Sandau echoes as well , was the Field of Dreams-esque mantra that if you build it , they will come . In other words , the high-risk , high-reward mindset of the game attracts some pretty high rollers , whose rising tides lift all of a casino ’ s boats — as she says , “ action creates action .”
She also had the unique experience of traveling overseas to help improve poker operations in casinos across Europe — Holland Casino in Amsterdam , one of the sites she mentored , is slated to celebrate its 30th anniversary for the game this year .
This not only helps spread poker ’ s influence around the world , it also makes foreign players more comfortable “ so they ’ re not as afraid to go and play ” here in America , says Dalton . That said , most legal online poker is hosted abroad , and convenience gaming often wins out over in-person play . But overall , increasing the number of players worldwide is never a bad thing for an industry in the midst of a plateau of sorts .
So , as the identity of the game continues to transition from superstar to sixth man , that means the industry has to hone in on the things it does well and emphasize them to the fullest extent to keep pace and stay relevant . That may be difficult for other , more singular games , but poker has always had a unique ace in the hole : tournament play .
Strength in Numbers
It would be difficult to talk about the importance of tournament play to the poker industry without starting with the World Series of Poker ( WSOP ). The brand , thanks in large part to decades of ESPN-televised tournaments that brought the game to innumerable bars and living rooms , is easily the biggest and most recognizable in poker , and now it ’ s doing its part to guide the industry forward , especially for live play .
Ty Stewart , senior vice president and executive director of the WSOP , fully acknowledges that “ as an industry , poker may not seem as ‘ buzzy ’ as it was in the early 2000s when everyone was discovering the game ,” but overall , the game “ has now settled into a more mature life cycle , and at the World Series of Poker , we ’ re embracing the days ahead .
“ In terms of driving business to our live rooms across the country , the WSOP always provides a seasonal , but material lift to the Caesars ’ system and the entire city of Las Vegas ,” says Stewart .
“ We ’ re excited to open more WSOP-branded poker rooms this year and would expect the numbers to continue to climb from a participation perspective at our rooms across the country … Poker rooms in Las Vegas were at an all-time high before ‘ Black Friday ’ and the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act . I believe that live poker will go the way of online poker , as they ’ re both linked to interest in the game . Our customers deserve the convenience of playing at home , but online poker will never replicate the experience of sitting down in a live poker room .”
One of the most important aspects of maintaining and growing the game is to make it accessible to smaller , regional markets — Stewart notes that the WSOP is working on several new projects around the country , including “ exciting new WSOP poker rooms at Indiana Grand and Isle Casino Pompano ,” as well as Harrah ’ s New Orleans and the Grand Vic in
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