Wynn Macau Closes Hold’em Section
According to reports, the Texas Hold’em area in Wynn Macau (on the Cotai Peninsula) was cleared out by late January 2026, with tables disappearing quietly without any fanfare. The silence in the poker rooms was almost eerie. This change marks more than just a symbolic shift for players - Wynn has long been a beacon of live poker in Macau. The removal of such a venue reshapes the entire scene’s dynamics, affecting everything from game availability to where the biggest games are hosted.
As a result, reliable venues have narrowed down to just a few names: Venetian Macao, MGM Cotai, and Wynn Palace (Cotai). These locations are now the main hubs for cash games, with Venetian Macao being noted as the central hub for stable action. The centralization of poker action isn't accidental. Cotai resorts have the space, visitor numbers, and infrastructure to keep poker thriving, but this also increases pressure on capacity. Simply put: fewer rooms, more players gathered in one place.
Why Poker Tables Are Disappearing
There are multiple reasons, all leading to the same conclusion. For casinos, poker often serves more as a branding tool rather than a major revenue source. While baccarat boosts turnover and profit quickly, poker requires space and time - and with a regulated cap on the number of gaming tables, operators carefully calculate what pays off to have available.
Adding to this is the post-new concessions environment. Collaboration with third parties is a sensitive topic for major branded series, and models that previously helped tournament organizers reach destinations are now more challenging. Thus, despite Macau's appetite for poker as a “product,” it doesn’t always align with the “festival business” model.
Here’s an interesting paradox - even though gaming space is dwindling, official data shows poker in Macau generated around 975,000,000 MOP (approximately $121,000,000) in 2025. This reflects a year-on-year growth of about 10%, setting a record high. In other words: demand exists, but the supply is becoming tighter.
Tournaments? Indications Are There, but Big Brands Face Challenges
Post-pandemic, Macau's tournament scene cautiously resumed, with larger plans often hitting the local reality wall. The cancellation of WPT Macau in 2024 is a reminder of the cold reception faced by those expecting a grand return of international brands.
Nonetheless, local and regional series do appear - for instance, MGM Cotai is hosting the MPT Macau Poker Open (March 2026). This is exactly the kind of “homegrown” approach Macau can take to sustain tournament life without relying on large external brands.
For grinders and travelers, the message is clear: prepare for fewer rooms, which may lead to fuller waiting lists, but also more consistent action. In 2026, Macau isn't writing the story of poker's end - rather, it's about its relocation. And as in poker, those who don’t adapt to the table's dynamics will find themselves... waiting without a seat in the game.
Sources – SoMuchPoker, asgam, CardPlayer, PokerAtlas, Wikipedia
