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(Heart)Breaking News: Binion’s Moves Poker Tables to the Casino Floor


Michael James learned that Binion’s famed poker room is now only for special events.

Binion’s famed poker room – where the first World Series of Poker tournament was held in 1970 – has recently reduced the number of poker tables (from 10 to four) and also moved them from the legendary poker room to the middle of the casino floor, just outside the sports book.

I walked through the back of Binion’s last week and saw the poker tables there as I was heading towards the back exit.  It first, it didn’t register until one of my poker buddies wondered aloud if the room was undergoing renovation.  Since my phone was just about out of juice, I asked him to take a couple of pictures… excuse the case of the blurs; unless a camera is aimed at a winning video poker hit, not all casinos appreciate photography.

I couldn’t imagine that Binion’s would close its poker room, but at that time it was well after Midnight, and I just wanted to get to my hotel, so I didn’t think much of it until I got home a couple of days ago.  I sent a message to Binion’s through their Facebook page, and they confirmed the sad state…

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As a poker player, this is troubling as there is only one other poker room downtown, that being at the Golden Nugget. It continues a trend of Las Vegas casinos either closing them (like The Linq) or shrinking them (The Mirage and The Venetian).

But as a piece of Las Vegas history, the Binion’s poker room is a treasure. Besides the World Series of Poker origins (or maybe because of them), the walls of the room are decorated with past poker stars. From the Gallery of Champions to the Poker Hall of Fame to just the photos on the wall, the Binion’s poker room was a must-play for any poker player.

Personally, I had played a few tournaments in the poker room, and though I never fared particularly well, I always felt comfortable as the room was designed for us. The piped in music was kept just loud enough to hear; the many TVs offered multiple sporting events each night and weekend, but most of all, you were set off from the casino floor and away from the hustle and bustle (and omnipresent slot machine noise).  This was our room. It was a sanctuary from the noise, and if you pardon the expression, it was another place that a man could really sit and think.

But like other casinos that took the “room” out of “poker room” and put the poker tables on the floor (and I am looking at you, Caesars Entertainment) poker is just another game. In fairness, poker is not a big revenue driver – most casinos take about $4 out of every pot for the courtesy of running the game – and takes a lot of floor space away from slot machines.

The casino industry is in a state of flux; they don’t even know what they want to be. Do they want to be full service, offering every game to each segment, like baccarat, poker, and sports, or do they maximize the hold per square foot for their owners/shareholders which means more machines and/or worse odds and payouts? Do casinos want to be a reason to draw a player to the property, or are they a necessary evil in order to house the hottest club or blockbuster residency? Casinos don’t even know this answer, so how should I?

But please take my advice, if you treasure any part of “your” Las Vegas, make sure you venerate it regularly as it may be gone before you know it.

[Photos: Peter Garcia, Michael James, Cover: Michael Movestro]

10 thoughts on “(Heart)Breaking News: Binion’s Moves Poker Tables to the Casino Floor

  1. yes, this is sad. I was just saying the other day, that the current state of things downtown, is ok, still enjoyable. but if they keep chipping away at it, it will be just like the strip. its a slow death.

    1. That’s because – although you and I may not think so – the way the Strip is run is WORKING. Monkey see, monkey do.

      I’ll bet my bottom dollar that Derek Steven’s 18 Fremont project (whatever that property is ultimately named) will have a top-notch nightclub downtown. And if marketed properly, it will become crazy popular.

      On the other hand, I only have two dollars in my pocket right now…

  2. Well guy’s just like country music, the Stardust, the Riviera, Frontier, the young people are taking over they don’t like the same things we like, it’s called change, & it’s been going on forever! Sad but true!

  3. Poker is in decline all over LV – look at the twoplustwo survey of game counts. It’s a tough game to invest in if you’re at Binion’s when you can’t get 3 games going.

      1. A whole lot of things. It’s a nicer property. And they have a schtick with the no max buy-in thing

  4. That’s because – although you and I may not think so – the way the Strip is run is WORKING. Monkey see, monkey do.
    yep, you are right. they are raking in big money on upscale night clubs, celebrity restaurants, resort fees and bad gaming rules (6:5 BJ), and so forth. this makes these people feel privileged I suppose. I cringe every time I hear of something closing, and it is just about daily.

    1. Shows especially. What is Vegas without shows? That is just so surprising to me.

      (Not from a business sense… if a show is failing, I have no problem killing it. What is surprising me is that so many shows are failing.)

  5. While yes it is sad that it is moving to the casino floor, the current iteration of the room isn’t some historical icon. It has had many iterations, and a majority of the WSOPs played at Binions were actually upstairs in Benny’s Bullpen.

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