Many properties on the Las Vegas Strip still remain without poker rooms. They simply closed them many years ago to make room for the hugely profitable slot machines. Now that television broadcasts such high profile and celebrity poker tournaments, poker is coming back, way back.

The new poker room at Caesars will open sometime between March and April 2005. It is going to be spread out over 15,000 square feet of floor space. Just outside the new poker room and opening for operation this New Year's Eve, will be Pure, a new nightclub. 

Also, MGM Grand, which stopped the operation of its poker room back in the late 90s, will reopen its poker room before the end of March 2005. The room will have a mere 25 tables compared to it's sister properties. The Bellagio has 30, and The Mirage has 31 poker tables.

Bellagio, has always had its high-end poker room. They are also thinking of a expansion there.

At this time, Caesars Entertainment Inc. doesn't have plans to develop a new poker room at its Paris Las Vegas property. However, the company is taking into account an expansion of its current poker space at Bally's Las Vegas.

Even though Poker games still don't make much money for casinos, they can't be forgotten. Poker has become so mainstream that if rooms are added to casinos, they will bring business that is sure to over-flow into other gaming and non-gaming areas of such casinos.