Caesars to Close Planet Hollywood Poker Room After Only 8 Months

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Caesars Entertainment will close the 23-table poker room at Planet Hollywood on January 31, 2026, ending a brief return to operations that began in May 2025.

Exterior of Planet Hollywood, as their poker room closes
Planet Hollywood, Las Vegas

Key Takeaways:

  • Caesars will shut down its 23-table poker room at Planet Hollywood by January 2026
  • Location and market saturation contributed to the room’s struggles despite tournament success
  • The closure reduces active poker venues on the Strip to 18, emphasizing a contracting poker scene

According to Pokernews.com, the company said the room failed to sustain enough regular cash-game traffic despite staging a recent World Series of Poker Circuit stop. “No layoffs are expected”, Caesars confirmed, with poker staff to be reassigned to Caesars Palace or Horseshoe.

Competitive Strip Environment Pressures Smaller Poker Rooms

The venue’s mezzanine location, removed from main-floor visibility, hampered walk-in play and made it hard to compete with larger poker hubs such as Bellagio and Aria. Industry observers point to softer Las Vegas visitation and a post-pandemic contraction in poker offerings across the Strip and downtown as contributing factors, per Yogonet.com.

Planet Hollywood’s struggles also reflect how Strip operators are rethinking guest access and visibility. 

Fontainebleau Las Vegas has partnered with Elon Musk’s Boring Co to connect the resort to the Vegas Loop, highlighting how newer properties are investing in infrastructure to drive foot traffic. For smaller or less visible poker rooms, that advantage is increasingly hard to replicate as demand softens.

Tournament Success Could Not Offset Cash-Game Shortfall

Planet Hollywood hosted a WSOP Circuit series earlier in January that included multiple ring events and a $500,000 guaranteed Main Event that attracted 616 entries, but tournament turnout did not translate into stable cash-game liquidity. 

Other operators, meanwhile, are selectively restoring poker; Station Casinos recently reopened Green Valley Ranch’s room to positive response.

The closure trims the Strip’s active poker rooms to 18, a steep reduction from the pre-pandemic era when more than 30 venues offered live poker. 

For executives tracking the market, the shift underscores that high-profile tournament stops no longer guarantee year-round cash-game viability in a crowded resort market.