The Bay State’s largest casino, Wynn’s Encore Boston Harbor, doesn’t plan to bring poker back soon, if ever. If it does return, says the casino, it will be in a “reduced capacity.”
The large number of complaints the Massachusetts Gaming Commission has received from poker fans about the fact that their favorite game hasn’t returned yet to either the Wynn casino or the MGM Springfield prompted a discussion at the most recent commission meeting.
MGC’s Assistant Director of Investigations and Enforcement Bureau Bruce Band told commissioners July 15 that complaints about the lack of the game “have increased tenfold in the last two weeks.” Band added, “Basically people are saying if the properties aren’t going to offer poker, we should establish poker parlors, which we explained the statute doesn’t allow for.”
Both casinos reopened fully in May—both said they will decide the future of poker before the end of 2021.
On July 15 the Encore Boston Harbor issued this statement where it acknowledged its guests’ disappointment about no poker but said, “Based on current market conditions and the resulting need to prioritize space, Encore Boston Harbor will not be bringing back live poker at this time. If and when poker should return to Encore, it will likely be at a reduced capacity.”
When the two casinos were allowed to reopen in the summer of 2020 poker wasn’t allowed because it was deemed impossible to play the game with social distancing and plastic dividers. It was also not profitable with only four players allowed, said the casinos. However, even though the players limits are now lifted, the casinos say the game isn’t profitable.
Commission Chairwoman Cathy Judd-Stein said the commission should look into the matter and asked MGC’s legal department to give a report.
Commissioner Enrique Zuniga said he’d like the casinos to give more details on why they don’t want to bring back poker. “I would be very curious to see what they have to say,” Zuniga said. “Clearly, if the public is asking for it and that was something that was initially promised as an option, I think that’s worth inquiring.”
