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Casinos Cash in on Poker Craze

KANSAS CITY, Missouri – As reported by the Associated Press: "A few years ago, casinos across the United States were closing their poker rooms to make space for more popular and lucrative slot machines.

"But the improbable triumph in 2003 of a 27-year-old accountant from Tennessee, who beat some of the world's greatest professional players on national television, has sent the nation into a poker frenzy and casinos looking to cash in have been quick on the draw.

"…Harrah's rode the wave of popularity, buying Binion's Horseshoe Casino in Las Vegas earlier this year, and with it, the rights to the World Series of Poker. Thompson said Harrah's, which owns 28 casinos nationwide, recently opened poker rooms at three of its Midwestern casinos. It plans to adds four more at other casinos.

"…Harrah's Kansas City casino opened a poker room on July 15, two weeks after the Isle of Capri opened one at its Kansas City property. Both casinos had poker rooms when they opened a decade ago, but Harrah's shut its live poker tables down in June 1998, and Isle of Capri closed its room in 2000.

"…There are signs that poker may have staying power.

"A Wichita, Kan., company earlier this year created the Amateur Poker League, which provides cards, poker chips, table tops and a uniform scoring system to bars for about $225 a night. Participants get the same amount of chips for free and play until one person wins them all.

"Shawn Riley, one of the owners of the Amateur Poker League, said there are about 14,000 registered APL players at 150 locations in Kansas, Missouri, Texas, Chicago and California. He said about 150 to 200 new members are added each day…"

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