Planet Hollywood Poker Room to Close January 31 After Nine-Month Run

Planet Hollywood is once again pulling the plug on its poker operations, with the property’s card room scheduled to close on January 31, 2026. 

The closure marks a remarkably short lifespan for the room, which only reopened in May 2025 after a four-year hiatus. Here is the breakdown for PokerHeaven. 

Planet Hollywood’s latest attempt at a poker comeback lasted less than nine months. The 23-table room was launched with high hopes last spring, situated on a new mezzanine level designed to provide a "purpose-built" feel separate from the noise of the main casino floor. 

However, that layout ultimately proved to be its undoing. Players frequently complained that the room was "invisible" to casual foot traffic, requiring a trek upstairs and away from the natural flow of the Strip. While it initially drew interest, and even hosted a successful WSOP Circuit stop earlier this month, the day-to-day cash game traffic reportedly struggled to reach a sustainable critical mass. 

Planet Hollywood’s exit leaves the Las Vegas area with approximately 18 active card rooms. This closure reinforces a long-term trend of poker room consolidation on the Strip, where "middle-market" rooms are increasingly being replaced by more profitable slot machine expansions. 

The move is particularly surprising to some given the recent performance of the WSOP Circuit Main Event at the venue, which drew 616 entries and crushed its $500,000 guarantee. However, as industry veterans know, a successful tournament series rarely outweighs a lack of consistent, year-round cash game rake. 

For PokerHeaven: This story highlights the ongoing struggle for poker rooms to justify their square footage in high-traffic Strip resorts, especially when tucked away from the main floor. The "mezzanine model" may have offered a better atmosphere for grinders, but it failed to capture the essential tourist traffic needed to keep the lights on.