Thx rhody..

We see it play out at fw vs Mohegan

Mohegan offers 3pts/hour for 2-5
Fw offers 1.88/hour for 2-5

Yet somehow Foxwoods games tend to be better

To a greater extent we’ve seen it for years and years with Home games vs Casino games.

I played on a cruise ship with the most obscene rake imaginable. As they were getting ready to start the game, the actual experienced poker players who got on the list early walked away because "that rake is criminal" and let me tell you, it was the easiest game of my life. 3 straight nights of unbelievable profitability.

Sounds like a dream.. everyone’s locked on the boat too

I've played in good private games with high rake.

The idea that the high rake makes the game better is laughable.

You get it.

………you clearly don’t.

Thanks for reassuring me that poker games will always be profitable guys

Enjoy being proud of your nitty $14/hr. A change in mindset alone in game selection could 2-3x that number.

Girls, girls, you're both pretty!

I know it's been discussed before but it still doesn't make sense to me- why would encore ever have spread poker in the first place if they are this ambivalent to bringing it back? Did I miss the state requiring them to have it as a condition for their initial license being granted?

I understand it's less of a revenue generator but they've never seem pressed for space (ironically except for during poker tournaments). For anyone that's been there recently, is the upstairs space where poker used to be still more or less the same minus switching some tables for slots? I've only been twice since Covid when in the area but both times it was in the evening and the space was still completely dead.

The parking was an issue. Did you ever step foot in that garage at 11pm on a Saturday night? See cars driving endlessly around looking for a spot, and poker players would lock them up for hours upon hours. Maybe encore, just underestimated how people would arrive at their casino. As if we'd take public transportation to get there.

I absolutely love cruise poker about half the time. The other half is horrible. It isn’t the rake. It isn’t live vs electronic tables. It isn’t the cruise line. And it certainly isn’t the rules or dealers. The games with live dealers not only have high rake but also some of the worst dealers (ok THE WORST) I have ever seen and some of the worst rules/rulings. It all depends on those few poker players on board that cruise. Obviously I am not referring to those poker cruises, never been on one of those

Despite all they have going against them cruise games can be very profitable. But it is an incredibly odd and small dataset. It is really in a different class or even classes. I would not use it in comparison to anything about more normal games.

So is this poker room like permanently closed?

Slots are making 10 million more a month now as compared to before the pandemic. If that continues, it could be a while before they take slots off the floor and bring poker back.

Everything I’ve heard is that slots wouldn’t be coming off the floor at all. Instead, a dozen or so table would be added in the sports book area (old buffet). The MGC will ensure that it returns and supposedly (from what I’ve heard) gave both MGM and Encore until 12/31 to make an official announcement as to when.

I only experienced that a couple times at peak hours, it would def get busy but I found there was almost always a spot on the 4th level. Admittedly the traffic leaving was sometimes brutal. I thought they acquired another garage across the street though, so I’d imagine things would be better even with extra poker players.

That’s wild, I wonder if it’s due to new visitors or pre covid visitors staying longer. They had so many machines that it’s hard to imagine them being close to capacity even with newcomers, but I haven’t been there since business picked up again and maybe it’s just completely packed now. Have you been there post covid and does the upstairs area where poker was get as busy as the main floor?

Can attest to this. I've watched the MGC meetings with Encore and MGM and the MGC gives them a hassle about not opening poker. Lots of people are complaining and MGC expects a poker room. MGM caved but Encore hasn't yet. They've given the Encore reps some business during the calls, and Encore gave them some flack back (Albeit professionally). It could get testy if Encore decides not to bring it back by New Years.

Does the MGC have any recourse IYO if Encore digs in? I'd assume any fines would be inconsequential and from reading this (https://malegislature.gov/Laws/Gener...r23K/Section23) not offering poker seems like something Encore could stall indefinitely indefinitely if they want to without real risk to their license.

I could be surprised but in my experience Mgc unlikely to force a casino to spread poker. I have no mass experience but seems closing a room is always easy. Many more hurdles when a casino goes to open one.

Since the Encore gave up Steve Wynn to complaints from the MGC, I'm sure they will compromise and put in some sort of poker "room". The back channel negotiations are about the minimum size of the room.

I think it would get into legalese based on the agreement. If fines were inconsequential, I'd propose poker players try to lobby to expand gaming in MA to allow licensed/focused Poker Rooms. Certainly Encore would not want to see that happen.

That MGC forced out SW seems to be a narrow reading of the situation. MGC may have played a major role in the Wynn ouster. But the double digit decline in the Wynn stock value, “concern” from the Macau and Las Begas

Encore may open a poker room. Heck maybe MGC will force such. I just dont really see this whole topic being a hill either would choose to die on. But I have no specific experience with MGC so maybe I am totally wrong.

Would love to see a Massachusetts based poker room that spreads only poker.

The demand is there. We saw that at Encore. Boston area and south shore folks have to drive to NH to play ( and many do , removing $$ from Mass).

Regardless of what Encore decides, if they don't meet the need, lets hope for an alternative room. Gambling is already approved. I mean how long could it take ? (OOps, I fogot this is Mass. It could take a lifetime or two)

It would take a long time. Years. I'd like to think of using it more of a "threat" than actually implementing it. But it would be pretty cool if it actually made it to reality.

I think the state would have to issue more licenses. Aren't there only 3?