Live Poker Rooms Report Modest Gains After Online Shutdown

It appears that the recent actions by the US Department of Justice have led to a significant – but not overwhelming – increase in the number of poker players who are turning to live poker rooms in order to get their gambling fix. According to a report by CardPlayer.com, casinos have reported “modest” increases in the numbers of players at their poker tables since the government shutdown of three major poker sites last Friday.

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One of the expected consequences of the Black Friday events was an increase in interest in live poker. With PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker no longer available to USA poker players, live poker rooms seemed to be in great position to benefit, and emerging evidence suggests that they have done fairly well in the aftermath.

In Nevada, CardPlayer.com reported that rooms at casinos such as the Aria, MGM Grand, and the Venetian had seen notable increases in the number of players frequenting their rooms. The biggest increases appeared to come in tournament play; Venetian tournament director Tim Mix said that a $225 event the room hosted on Tuesday saw a 20% increase in participation this week, while the Aria has seen a whopping 50% increase in their tournament fields.

A similar story was reported in California. The Commerce Casino is the home to the world’s largest poker room, with 243 tables of play available. John Griffo, Director of Casino Development, reported a slight increase in their daily tournament participation.

“We are sure the new players are all online players because they’re asking about our tournament structures because they are a little bit different than online tournaments,” Griffo told CardPlayer. “In tournaments we have seen a 15% increase in entries.”

Other casinos throughout California reported similar increases – noticeable ones, but not an extreme change from previous weeks.

CardPlayer also surveyed casinos from other parts of the country. Poker room managers in Tunica, Florida, and Atlantic City all reported the same thing: an increase of about 10% or so in participation, with the biggest gains being made among younger players and in late night shifts. Whether this is a part of long-term increase is yet to be seen, though it’s certainly possible that many online pros will find new live stomping grounds in the near future.