After 5 Years, World Series of Poker Returns to Atlantic City, New Jersey

Starting in the late 1990s, a new wave in the popularity of the Casino Table game Poker started to rise thanks to the televised World Series of Poker Tournament.

The dynamics of professional poker players became a phenomenon entering the early 2000's with players such as Phil Ivey, Chris Moneymaker, and Doyle Brunson becoming household names.

The popularity of the WSOP Tour became tied to two cities in the 21st century: Las Vegas and Atlantic City. From 2005 to 2020, the World Series of Poker had stops in Atlantic City.

But the combination of the COVID-19 Pandemic and decreased public interest for WSOP events led to the tour leaving the South Jersey City with nine casino properties. In 2008, almost 3.5 million viewers watched the WSOP Main Event; ten years later, viewership averages have dropped to 615,000.

World Series Of Poker Returns To Atlantic City In 2025

After a five-year hiatus, the World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOP-C) will be back in Atlantic City for a 12-day event in the Summer of 2025.

Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City will host the return of the WSOP Circuit from Thursday, August 14th, through Monday, August 25th. Harrah's was the first stop of the WSOP Tour in Atlantic City back in 2005, and Harrah's Poker Room hosted WSOP events until 2020.

Atlantic City will be one of the first stops for the WSOP Regional Tour for the 2025-26 Circuit schedule. Gregg Klein is the Senior Vice President and General Manager for Harrah’s Resort; He gave the following statement via press release:

"We are thrilled to welcome back the prestigious World Series of Poker Circuit to Harrah’s Resort and the unmatched energy, excitement, and talent it brings. - Hosting this iconic event reinforces our commitment to delivering premier gaming experiences and positions us as a top destination for esteemed players and poker fans alike.”

What Happened To Poker's Popularity In Atlantic City?

Even though there are nine casino properties currently operating in Atlantic City, only a few properties still have active poker rooms and tables with live dealers.

Atlantic City use to be one of the top destinations for Poker Players in the Northeast, with celebrities such as Frank Sinatra, Michael Jordan, and Garth Brooks. But growing regional competition with new Poker Rooms in Philadelphia and Delaware has given some poker players reasons not to travel to Atlantic City.

A World Series of Poker Player from New Jersey spoke to 973 ESPN but asked for anonymity due to being an active Poker Player:

"Outside development of casinos in Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania over the last 20 years are a big reason why Atlantic City has slowed down with poker. The early days of poker at the Taj Mahal and Bally's are gone. All my friends are dealers at Harrah's, and they say that due to the lack of attendance at WSOP events ended circuit poker in Atlantic City years ago."

"Many years ago, Taj hosted the US Poker Open, which was broadcast on ESPN. The WSOP is taking a chance coming back to Harrah's in Atlantic City, hoping to bring back poker's popularity to what it once was."

EDITOR'S NOTE: The anonymous source quoted in this article is a good friend of the article's author. The use of this quote is for context on the story, and the views stated are not a direct reflection of Townsquare Media or associated advertisers.