Operator News
US – Poker returns to Rivers Casino Philadelphia
By Phil - 26 October 2020
Live poker is back in Philadelphia with the reopening of the Rivers Casino Philadelphia poker room after being closed since the March 15 property-wide shutdown to help slow the spread of COVID-19. The casino’s gaming floor reopened on July 17.
Rivers Casino Philadelphia will operate around-the-clock. The poker room can run up to 14 tables with a maximum capacity of approximately 100 guests. While Rivers Casino offers a variety of poker games, the action will be primarily No Limit Texas Hold’em cash games.
Safety for guests and Team Members is the casino’s top priority. Rivers Casino Philadelphia follows best practices from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and meets or exceeds all COVID-19 Casino Reopening Protocols issued by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB). Additionally, Rivers Casino adheres to all guidelines issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Health and meets all operating requirements set by the City of Philadelphia.
Masks must be worn at all times but poker dealers will wear both a mask and a face shield. Each poker table in play will have plexiglass dividers, separating players and the dealer. A maximum of seven players will be allowed per table with frequent and thorough cleaning of all cards, chips and surfaces. Only sanitised chips bought from the poker room cage will be used in play. No food, beverage or smoking is permitted in the poker room or anywhere on the Rivers Casino gaming floor.
“Poker players are excited to be back at the tables, enjoying the game they love,” said Peter Longi, assistant general manager at Rivers Casino Philadelphia. “Our reopening was carefully planned with the safety of our team and guests being the primary concern. We’re eager to welcome back our poker team.”
The indoor air quality in the poker room was enhanced as part of the recent upgrade to the casino’s HVAC system. Rivers Casino now includes airPHX, a patented technology that continuously disinfects indoor air and eliminates coronavirus on surfaces. It also features AtmosAir, an indoor air quality purification system that has been proven to neutralise coronavirus by more than 99.9 per cent.
