The truth is, with the harsh laws surrounded poker, all of the best poker rooms are moving to the online world. Washington State residents have some harsh state laws to contend with, not to mention the Federal laws surrounding wagering, but we will give you some options when it comes to the game we all love.
The Seattle area has seen a lot of changes in the poker scene in the last year or so. The trend has been the increased dominance of the smaller, non-tribal rooms at the expense of the tribal poker rooms. A few factors have conspired to make it this way. The most important factor has been some changes in the regulatory landscape over the last few years that made it possible for these smaller rooms to compete with the popular no limit games that were previously dominated by the tribal rooms (technically they are spread games but at the lower buyins its a close enough approximation). Though the non-tribal rooms still have a $300 maximum bet/raise per action compared to the tribal $500 limit, the difference matters little in the smaller, more popular games. In parallel with this more competitive landscape, Seattle’s worsening traffic makes proximity to the city a key competitive edge for the smaller rooms that are closer to town.
So where to play in this new landscape? Here is my rundown of the poker options in town.
- I live in washington and I play on ignition, it's never been a big deal. You can deposit easily with bitcoin or your card, and bitcoin withdrawals are super fast. I seriously doubt poker laws will change in a big way in 1-3 years unfortunately, there's just more important stuff to worry about.
- Poker rooms in Seattle. There is no true 'no limit' cash game in Washington state because of our somewhat silly gambling laws.
Muckleshoot. Only Muckleshoot in Auburn and Tulalip in Marysville have the higher $500 bet/raise limit such that they can spread a purer mid-stakes holdem game. If NL Holdem is your game and you are looking for 3/5NL or higher without a $300 max raise limitation then Muckleshoot is the better choice. Muckleshoot also runs decent tournaments more regularly and twice a year run a very popular “poker classic” series with buyins ranging from $200 to $750. The atmosphere makes a bad first (and second) impression, but the room is well run and the dealers and floor staff are good. They deployed the Poker Atlas system which (though not easy to use) lets you sign up for a game online and gives you an hour to get there and claim your spot. Unfortunately for them, the arrival of Fortune poker on the scene really hurt them. Fortune peeled away one regular after another leaving Muckleshoot much weakened despite the fact that the rake is a dollar more at Fortune now. With some construction and remodeling coming soon to that part of the casino, rumors abound as to what will actually end up happening here
Fortune. This room in Renton is run really efficiently, almost militantly (e.g. no straddle once the first card is off the deck and an F-bomb can get you kicked out). If you sit at a table here it won’t take more than 5 minutes before someone talks about the food and deservedly so. It was described to me as one of the top 24hr dining spots in the Seattle area (not just of any casino but overall) and its hard to argue. The food is top notch and the table side service rivals Aria in Las Vegas. Who even knew a breakfast banh mi with egg and bacon was a thing? If they further liberalize the laws for non-tribal card rooms and allow them to have more tables and higher betting limits Fortune is the most likely to take advantage. They have room to expand and ambitious management. They run a popular promotion where each week your second high hand is $499. There’s a couple reasons I don’t spend that much time here. Their 3/5 NL game is somewhat anemic on the weekdays, though it picks up in the evening. Also they recently and oh so quietly moved to taking a dollar more in rake. Now they take $4 & $3 (rake, jackpot drop). Rake aside, this has got to be the best run room in town. Strangely, they don’t have any way to get on the list remotely which is the one area they are behind the times.
UPDATE 9/21/19: Fortune is launching a 5/10 NL game on Tuesday and Wednesday. I also hear the 3/5 NL action has picked up considerably.
Red Dragon. There are pros and cons. There’s a few things I don’t like about the Red Dragon. It’s loud, they use low quality cards, the food is mediocre, and a lot of bad etiquette goes unaddressed. There are some pretty inexperienced dealers but most know what they are doing and are nice. The floor staff does try hard, and it is a lot to manage. There is no ‘must move’ or ‘controlled move’ system when a 2nd game starts so there is often a free for all when a softer game starts up. The place is just rough around the edges all round. The parking lot is often full forcing you to the sketchy overflow lot. The dealers often know what is right but aren’t sure if they are empowered to enforce it. I try to speak up for the integrity of the game while I’m there and I hope other players do the same. There are some great things too though. They have an excellent remote sign up app that gives you 30 minutes to show up (I’ve come to feel like that is the best way to do remote signups, you know who’s about to walk in the door and can plan table starts or table breaking accordingly). They are spreading a 1/3 PLO game with a $5 bring in that at least initially was the best action within 100 miles of Seattle. It has calmed down a bit but is still good. The game is a perfect storm of a deceptively small buyin and blind structure combined with the inherent action of PLO. The game plays bigger than you’d expect. There are frequent button straddles and the money gets in the middle much of the time. I’m surprised other rooms aren’t spreading a similar game. Their bigger 5/5 PLO game has drawn a lot of the regulars that used to go to Tulalip though that game its now competing with an odd 75/150 mixed game, cycling through four limit Omaha variants. I believe the Dragon takes 3 & 4 in holdem games. They are dropping $4 with no jackpot drop in the PLO games.
UPDATE 2/21/2019: The Dragon has introduced new cards that are far superior to the old cards that were getting dents in them all the time. They also introduced “must move” to their games which is another welcome addition.
Caribbean. This room in northern Kirkland has a location advantage that is going to be unassailable. For folks in many parts of the Eastside it’s pretty much the only reasonable option distance wise. If you are looking for an action 1/3 NL holdem game then this room is all you need. Some evenings (often on Friday and Saturday) they get a 2/5 NL game. There has also been a 5/10 NL game going on Tuesdays and Fridays (start time around 2pm). Yes, it is a bit hobbled by the $300 max bet/raise per action but there is still plenty of money changing hands. The atmosphere is very friendly though a bit dark and they use these annoying cards with very large patterns on the face that you have to bend half way back to read the suit. You get the sense that a lot of the employees appreciate working there and that vibe permeates the atmosphere. They have a popular monthly freeroll tournament that the house pays for not the player jackpot drop. They also have the best food comp around ($8 free when you first sit down good for that day only + you accrue an additional hourly food comp that stays on your card), though I’ve noticed the food service is a bit erratic. I’ve had my order come out wrong a number of times. People tell me all the time the food is good, but I think mostly its because its close to free. You can look up the active games online but annoyingly they list all the spread games as 1/3 so you’d have to call to know if the 2/5 or 5/10 game is actually going. They are taking 3 & 3 in most games and at least seem to be experimenting with no jackpot drop in the new 5/10 game. Generously, everyone’s hours qualify for the freeroll because its house funded. If they had bigger games more often I’d probably play here most of the time on account of the reasonable rake, and pleasant atmosphere.
UPDATE 9/21/2019: the Caribbean is under new ownership and some changes are afoot. I hear they dropped their monthly freeroll tournament and the midweek 5/10 NL action isn’t what it once was. Still a friendly room well worth checking out.
Tulalip. This is the hardest room for me to describe because I don’t spend that much time here. I only show up now to play the occasional tournament. I used to play much more regularly but its a longer drive from the city and traffic tends to be a bear through Everett. Let me start with the good. They have a pretty great hotel attached so if you are looking to combine with a stay you have a pretty enjoyable option. They also spread the biggest game in town, a 5/10/25 Pot limit omaha game if that’s your jam and occasionally run some nice tournaments like their last Sunday of the month event and their annual Powwow series. They have the same set of core dealers and floor staff they have had for years so they have experience on their side and they are not afraid to spread a format nobody else is (like a Stud eight tournament for example). They have one great promo that nobody else has ever copied which is a $20 credit towards your next tournament if you play two hours of cash games after your current tournament. This promo always struck me as particularly clever. Overall though they don’t really have a competitive edge in any obvious way other than their ability to spread games with a $500 instead of $300 max bet/raise per action. Despite being a large resort and casino their room only has 12 tables, less than Red Dragon and Fortune which both run 15 tables. Whoever designed the room (when it moved a number of years ago) needs a talking to because they built it open to the smoke and noise of the casino yet still hidden near the hotel side. You get the smoke (in Vegas mega-casinos the ventilation systems can accommodate that strategy) without the exposure benefit of being seen from the center of the casino floor. I appreciate Creedence but if I hear ‘Born on the Bayou’ coming out of a slot machine one more time… Lastly, they are raking 4 & 3 which seems to be the norm in the Seattle area now.
UPDATE 9/21/2019: word on the street is that Tulalip is going to be closing their poker room. Although they did a lot of things poorly this would be a big blow to Seattle area poker and is definitely an unwelcome development.
It feels like tribal rooms were caught flat-footed, probably because poker is not a core business for their casinos. They either didn’t see the value or lacked the imagination to defend their poker turf. Nothing symbolized this more than the demise of the ever shrinking but much loved poker room at Snoqualmie casino. It all ended bitterly with the biggest slap in the face possible, player’s jackpot money being diverted to table games in a move that appeared to be legal but morally dubious. The biggest mystery for me, as I’m driving in circles trying to find a good parking spot at these crammed lots of non-tribal poker rooms and invariably ending up in overflow parking, is how the tribal rooms ceded their dominance without a fight. Every day I see hundreds of people with money to burn walking into these rooms and yet the tribal casinos don’t see enough value in them walking across their casino floors instead. These are the same casinos that run free bus services, give you free vouchers and meals, and constantly give away cars and trucks just to get people in the door. Puzzling.
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Want to play at the top live US poker rooms? If so, listen carefully because we’ve put together a list of venues that are recognized as America’s most impressive. Regardless of whether you’re interested in size, style, history or gaming options, our rundown of the best live USA poker rooms has got you covered.
The Bellagio:
Bellagio
3600 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89109
Arguably one of the most iconic casinos in the world, let alone the USA, the Bellagio is home to the infamous Bobby’s Room. Synonymous with high stakes gambling and the poker top pros, this intimate alcove is the proverbial jewel in the Bellagio’s crown.
Home to the likes of Doyle Brunson, Phil Ivey, Daniel Negreanu and Gus Hansen on a daily basis, Bobby’s Room has seen some of the biggest poker games in the world over the last 20 years. From million dollar bluffs to prop bets involving male breast implants, this exclusive section of the Bellagio’s poker room has given rise to a slew of legendary tales.
Unfortunately, unless you’re super talented or super rich you’ll probably never get to ante-up inside Bobby’s Room. However, that doesn’t mean the Bellagio isn’t a top US poker room. In fact, it’s because of Bobby’s Room that the venue is loved by grinders from all over the world. While you may need a few million dollars in your bankroll in order to get into the casino’s richest game, there are hundreds of smaller games on offer each week filled with players aiming for the top.
The presence of the most exclusive live poker game in America is enough to pull people into the casino and give them something to aim for. This means that you’ll often find a string of low stakes games filled with weak players. Blinded by the dream of running a bluff against Doyle Brunson, these fishy players are commonplace inside the Bellagio and always ripe for picking.
In fact, aside from being known as one of the top live USA poker rooms, the Bellagio is known as one of the softest. Of course, when you move up to the higher limits you’ll find yourself amongst a host of top players, but below the top-tier it’s generally the case that the games are easy. In general, you’ll find that cash games start from $1/$2 and run as high as $1,000/$2,000 during the World Series of Poker. At high limits it’s possible to find Mixed Games, but in general you’ll find that Texas Hold’em and Pot Limit Omaha will be on offer.
Foxwoods Resort Casino:
Foxwoods Resort Casino
350 Trolley Line Boulevard
Mashantucket, CT 06338-3777
Another top live USA poker room outside of Nevada, Foxwoods is another structural behemoth in the gaming world. Offering 300,000 square feet of floor space, the venue has everything the hopeful gambler could wish for.
Contained with the six interconnected casinos is every class game you could wish for. From blackjack and roulette, to craps and slot machines, the adrenaline junkies among you will have plenty of opportunities to swing the pendulum of luck when you enter Foxwoods Casino.
However, if the virtues of skill and logic are more to your liking, then Foxwoods poker room will, provide an oasis of tranquility amid the chaos of the six gaming floors. Boasting 125 poker tables and the honor of being the second largest poker room in the world (not just the US); this venue is one that literally offers something for everyone.
Regardless of what your poker persuasion is, Foxwoods will have something to tickle your fancy. Of course, Hold’em and Omaha are by far the most populous games on the menu and you can enjoy each at limits ranging from $1/$2 to $100/$200. However, if you’re looking for something a little different, then Foxwoods is one of the few live US poker rooms that offers 7-card stud cash games. Running regularly throughout the week (mainly because of the venue’s high volume of players), fans of non-Hold’em poker games can grind out a fortune at limits ranging from $1/$3 and $75/150.
For those that enjoy the rush of a good tournament, Foxwoods plays host to a busy schedule of daily tournaments with prizepools the regularly top five-figures. However, it’s when the Foxwoods Poker Classic gets underway that this live USA poker room comes into its own. Regularly welcoming the best players in the world, the event is a major fixture on the US poker calendar for thousands of players.
The Commerce Casino:
How to increase casino revenue. Commerce Casino
6131 East Telegraph Rd.
Commerce, CA 90040
In America, bigger is always better and there are a few live poker rooms in the country that can stack up to the Commerce Casino. Situated in the Los Angeles suburb of Commerce, this casino offers a poker room that can hold up to 200 tables at once.
Although the Commerce poker room doesn’t sit pride of place on the Las Vegas strip, the stature of this venue is no less impressive. Owing to the sheer size of this US poker room, players from across the country are able to enjoy cash games and tournaments of all sizes. Unlike many of the top live poker rooms in the USA, The Commerce doesn’t only cater to high rollers. While venues such as the Bellagio have based their reputation around the wealthy games they host, The Commerce has a much more inclusive policy.
Average cash games limits will start as low as $1/$2 and reach as high as $100/$200+. In fact, if there are a number of celebrities in town, something that often happens at the Commerce, the highest games on offer can run a stakes exceeding $200/$400.
Aside from offering a variety of Hold’em, Omaha, Stud and Mixed cash games, The Commerce also offers a range of poker tournaments. Although the daily and weekly schedule isn’t anything to get too excited about, the casino comes into its own when it hosts the L.A. Poker Classic. Part of the ever-popular WPT season, the event is extremely popular and regularly produced prizepools exceeding $5 million.
If playing poker isn’t enough, then The Commerce Casino is also a complete entertainment complex. Mimicking the services found at some of the top venues in Las Vegas, The Commerce has six restaurants, a sprawling hotel complex as well as numerous bar and leisure facilities.
Texas lawmakers have traditionally been unwilling to legalize casinos, with a number of previous efforts to introduce this type of gambling in the state failing to gain much traction in the Legislature. Is casino gambling legal in texas states. Gambling boats have operated at times out of Texas ports, taking passengers on one-day 'cruises to nowhere' in international waters, where there are no gambling laws. The casino cruise industry developed in other states in the early 1980s, but was a latecomer to Texas because of a state law prohibiting the docking of ships with gambling. Texas law does not allow for casinos. The gambling law specifically prohibits 'keeping a gambling place.' However, Native American lands are not subject to the same state gambling laws, and there is at least one legal casino in Texas on native lands. Social Gambling in Texas.
The Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa
Borgata Hotel Casino
1 Borgata Way
Atlantic City, NJ 08401
Over the last few years the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa has become one of the top live poker rooms in the US. Located in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and now the owner of an online platform, the Borgata has benefited from the recent changes in US poker legislation.
Being situated inside one of the states that offer legal US online poker, this venue is now being utilized by many of the world’s top poker tours, including the WPT. In fact, in 2013 and 2014 the casino wrestled the WPT World Championship event away from its traditional home inside the Bellagio. Such a move was not only seen as a sign of the times, but as a testament to the Borgata’s prowess as a top US venue.
One of the main selling points for the Borgata, aside from it being the home to some of the WPT’s top tournaments, is that it’s the largest hotel in New Jersey. Boasting 2,002 rooms, the venue is not only a giant when it comes gambling, but in terms of leisure and entertainment. However, we digress. When it comes to poker, the Borgata is equipped with 161,000 square feet of gaming space that encompasses 4,000 slots and 200 table games.
Alongside these options stands a poker room that can accommodate around 100 tables at once. Generally filled with a mixture of tournament players and cash game grinders, it’s the latter demographic that really benefit from the Borgata’s size and experience. In the tournament world more players equates to bigger prizepools and those that choose to ante-up inside this venue will always be in good company. In fact, such is the pedigree of this live US poker room that the WPT now hosts not one, but three major MTTs inside its walls.
Binion’s Horseshoe
Binion’s Horseshoe
128 Fremont St,
Las Vegas, NV 89101
It may not be the biggest live poker room in the USA, it might not be the most impressive, but Binion’s Horseshoe is undoubtedly one of the top US poker rooms. In historical terms, Binion’s is an industry icon as it was home to the original World Series of Poker. Providing the venue where the likes of Doyle Brunson, Chip Reese and Benny Binion decided who the best player in the world was, Binion’s has since gone on to host Poker’s Hall of Fame.
In today’s terms the casino’s ten poker tables and $4 rake on all cash games is a million miles from facilities offered by our other top USA live poker rooms. However, what it lacks in size it certainly makes up for in nostalgia. Anyone who takes the time to visit downtown Las Vegas and ante-up inside Binion’s poker room will feel a sense of reverence. Knowing that the venue is the birthplace of modern poker tournaments and once played host to the greatest grinders in history is something that can’t be ignored. On top of that the intimate setting makes each game more personal and the level of service that much better.
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Of course, on a good day you’ll probably only find a handful of cash games on offer with stakes no higher than $10/$20. However, in reality, none of that really matters because it’s a poker room that every poker player in America should have the pleasure of playing in.
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