Wynn Macau closed the property’s poker room in late January, according to recent reports, dropping the number of rooms now open in China’s gambling mecca to three.
The room had been open several years, but may not have recovered after casinos on the island were mostly closed during the COVID pandemic. Other poker venues reportedly still operating include Venetian Macao, MGM Cotai, and Wynn Palace Cotai, according to Poker Atlas.
The game has seen a downward trend on the island in recent years with poker rooms at MGM Macau and Grand Lisboa Palace both closing last year, according to GGR Asia. The outlet reported that the game was regularly used by the island’s casino to market to younger gamblers.
Revenue Inconsistency
The closings come despite solid 2025 revenue numbers. Poker brought in $121 million in revenue, the highest total since 2008, according to the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ). That was a 10.4% increase from 2024.
The island also saw record quarterly revenue in 2025, including $30.3 million in the first quarter. However, the game has seen some inconsistency through the years and COVID took a major toll on the industry.
For example, the island saw $55.4 million in revenue in 2019, but that dropped to just $4.3 million in 2020.
Tournament Restrictions
Following the pandemic, tournament poker didn’t return to the former Portuguese colony until 2024. The World Poker Tour scheduled a series on the island the same year, but was forced to cancel the event.
Major tournament series may not be coming to the island, which was once the home to some of the games’ high rollers, because of changes in revenue sharing regulations.
“A number of industry commentators has speculated that Macau’s barring – under the present regulatory system that came in with the new concessions – on its casino operators sharing revenue with third parties, had created a hurdle for poker brands aspiring to hold events in Macau.,” GGR Asia reported.
The situation of closing poker rooms follows the inconsistent trend in the Las Vegas market. There were closures and reopenings. For example, Green Valley Ranch closed the property’s poker room in 2020, but recently reopened a new facility.
Planet Hollywood also closed its room in 2021, but reopened in May. However, the casino closed it again in January.
