Encore Poker Room Set to Open at End of September

By Jerry Smith Staff Writer Updated: 10/10/2020

Jerry Smith Staff Writer See Full Bio

Jerry’s greatest advantage is his extensive experience on the casino floor. His time as a casino manager taught him everything about what makes a player tick. Besides being a skilled poker player, he has deep knowledge of all live table games and gambling regulations in the US.

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Encore Poker Room

Since the outbreak of the global COVID-19 pandemic earlier this year, casinos are among the many businesses that have suffered hugely. Many casinos have only recently started to reopen, and even then, this is with many strict new measures and operational limitations in place.

Many casinos have had to reopen with reduced capacity and limited opening times in a bid to try and control the spread of infection. For many, this has meant keeping some table games off limits, with one of the more common areas to remain closed being poker rooms.

Some casinos have now reopened their poker rooms, but with a limited number of players per table and clear divisions to ensure social distancing. Others kept their poker rooms closed due to the increased risk of infection associated with this type of table game.

It has now been announced, however, that Wynn Las Vegas is opening its poker room at Encore at the end of September.

Excited to Welcome Guests Back

Once the poker room opens back up at the end of this month, poker fans will be able to enjoy gaming seven days a week around the clock. Officials from Wynn said they are excited to welcome guests back and reopen their poker facilities.

Ryan Beauregard, executive director of poker operations at Wynn, said:

We are thrilled to welcome guests back to the poker room. Our team is looking forward to delivering the same exceptional poker experience Wynn has always been known for in a safe and enjoyable environment for all.

There will be some changes in place when it comes to the reopened poker room. The casino has reduced the number of poker tables, as this will help to make social distancing between groups of players easier. In addition, there will be a maximum of eight players at each table.

In a bid to increase safety, the casino has also installed plexiglass dividers to keep players separated, and all those playing will be required to wear a face mask. Each table will have hand sanitizer freely available, and there will be enhanced cleaning and sanitization of the poker room in line with health and safety protocols.

Closed Since Mid-March

The poker room has been closed since the middle of March, which is when casinos were forced to close their doors because of the COVID-19 outbreak. While the casinos in Las Vegas were permitted to reopen in June, many poker rooms, including Wynn Las Vegas, remained closed.

Over recent weeks, there has been an increase in the number of casinos reopening their poker rooms, giving poker fans the opportunity to enjoy live poker gaming rather than having to play online.

While the reopening of yet another poker room in Las Vegas will come as good news to fans of the game, as well as the casinos, it comes at a precarious time. COVID-19 infections are now starting to rise again in many parts of the world, with countries fearing a second wave during the fall and winter months.