Wynn Macau has shuttered its poker room, cutting the number of live poker venues in the city down to just three, multiple outlets report. The game can still be played at the Venetian, MGM Cotai and Wynn Palace.
This late January closure highlights the sector’s continued contraction under the current regulatory framework, with similar shutdowns happening at MGM Macau and Grand Lisboa Palace last year – despite strong headline revenue.
According to the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau, poker generated about 975 million patacas (US$121 million) in revenue in 2025, a 10.4 percent increase year on year and the highest total since 2008.
[See more: Everything you need to know about fortune three-card poker in Macao]
Industry observers say the closures reflect poker’s relatively low commercial priority within Macao casinos rather than a lack of demand. Poker delivers lower revenue per table than mass-market casino games, and under the SAR’s cap on the total number of gaming tables, operators have increasingly redeployed floor space toward higher-yield products.
Regulatory constraints have further limited the segment’s growth. Under the current concession system, casino operators are prohibited from sharing gaming revenue with third parties, a standard arrangement used by major international poker brands to stage large tournament series. The restriction has reduced incentives for global organisers to return to Macao.
Poker has a rocky recent history in Macao, where baccarat is by far the most popular game in casinos. The city stopped hosting competitive poker events in 2018, after China’s crackdown on online poker. They resumed in 2024 with the Macao Masters at the Venetian, set to be followed by the World Poker Tour (WPT) at Wynn Palace. The WPT event was abruptly cancelled without explanation, however.
