Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course officially announced that the poker room will not reopen. When Pennsylvania casinos started reopening in June 2020 after COVID-19 shutdowns, many poker rooms did not open until months later. However, the poker room at Hollywood Casino at PNRC remained closed.
On July 1 around 7 p.m., they posted the announcement of the poker room’s closure on Facebook along with plans for a Bad Beat Jackpot giveaway.
Poker room at Hollywood Casino closed
As part of the closure, the casino is giving players a chance to win a share of the remaining poker funds.
Here are the details:
- To qualify for the Bad Beat Jackpot giveaway, you must have been a rated poker player between August 4, 2019 and March 20, 2020
- The exclusive Bad Beat Jackpot giveaway will be held on July 29 and July 30 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Player’s will be given a chance to win a share of over $440,00 in prizes with $50,000 cash grand prize each day.
Negative reaction
The Facebook announcement was met with a mostly negative reaction.
- “BS! They should invite these players back and do a 2-day tournament for the money…”
- “No shock. Knew this was coming. Played here bc it was the closest place to play. But the truth of the matter was this place ran the most disorganized poker room I’ve ever seen. Some of the rules they enforced were just stupid.”
- “Never had any intention on reopening it. They can’t staff. They can’t get good dealers. Just look around the rest of what’s left of that place.”
- “They were never going to reopen it, everyone should have figured that out by now.”
- “I really enjoyed playing live cash an tournament’s at Hollywood. Other casino’s in the state has have live poker tables but for some reason Hollywood in PA no… just sad… I go to Hollywood in Perryville in MD play an closer to my house.”
Changes at Hollywood Casino PNRC
In late August 2021, Tattered Flag, a veteran-owned and operated restaurant opened in the space formerly occupied by Skybox Sports Bar.
During the November Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board Meeting, Hollywood Casino at PNRC was given approval to remove 191 of their 1,927 slots. Reps for the casino said it was largely due to the proliferation of unregulated, untaxed gambling machines, also known as “skill games,” across Pennsylvania.
In March 2022 ahead of the start of the NCAA Tournament, Hollywood Casino opened a new Barstool Sportsbook in the spot of the former buffet.
Poker rooms and tournaments in Pennsylvania
(Open as of July 2, 2022)
- Parx Casino (No updates on tournaments)
- Mohegan Sun Pocono (weekly tournaments)
- Mount Airy Casino Resort ( No tournaments)
- Rivers Casino Philadelphia (weekly tournaments)
- Rivers Casino Pittsburgh ( monthly tournament) (Bad Beat Jackpot is over $1 million)
- Meadows Racetrack and Casino (No tournaments)
- Philadelphia Live Casino (weekly tournaments)
- Wind Creek Bethlehem ( no weekly tournaments)
- Pittsburgh Live Casino (weekly tournaments)
Online poker in PA
You can play real money poker online in Pennsylvania at:
Lead image of Hollywood Casino PNRC poker room by Katie Kohler
