Bally's Las Vegas WSOP

During the final table of the 2021 WSOP Main Event in mid-November, the World Series of Poker officially confirmed that 2021 be the last at the Rio Casino and All Suites Hotel. The new location will be at Bally’s Las Vegas and the nearby Paris, marking the first time the World Series of Poker will be held on the strip.

The Rio has been the site of the WSOP since 2005, when it moved from Binions after it outgrew the downtown location due to the onset of the Moneymaker poker boom.

When will the 2022 WSOP be?

Good news for players playing the 2022 WSOP — plans are for series to be held during the traditional window in the late spring and early summer. Barring any unforeseen issues — such as uncontrolled COVID situation — the 2022 WSOP will be held from May 31st to July 19th, 2022.

Where precisely will the 2022 WSOP be held?

Bally’s Las Vegas and Paris Las Vegas will be the site of the 2022 WSOP. The two properties are connected by a walkway with each housing huge convention spaces. The Rio featured about 95,000 square feet of usable space while Bally’s has 80,000 feet of space that could be used for the WSOP with another 85,000 from the Paris Expo Hall.

Where is Bally’s and Paris located?

Bally’s and Paris are located just off the legendary Las Vegas strip, across the Bellagio, which will provide a central location for players right in the heart of the most luxurious part of Las Vegas. This will be in contrast to the Rio, which is on the west side of I-15.

Why is this happening now?

The WSOP had moved to the Rio in 2005 for its spacious quarters and parking capacity, which has allowed the WSOP to expand where it is today. However, for years the Rio has been in a declining state, with players increasingly bemoaning the property’s condition, amenities and pretty much everything in between.

A move had been discussed for years but accelerated after Caesars Entertainment sold the Rio to Dreamscape Companies, a New York City developer, in 2019. A lease agreement between WSOP owner Caesars Entertainment and Dreamscape had allowed the World Series of Poker to continue to be hosted at the Rio until 2023 at the latest.

Although the Rio could have technically hosted the WSOP until 2023, it was no secret that Caesars had been eyeing a new location. The Bally’s and Paris rumor gained steam in an unlikely manner over the summer, when the VNEA World Championship seemed to let the location slip in a Facebook post.

What is going to happen to the Rio?

Although rumors were that the Rio would be demolished, it looks like the new owner is choosing to rebrand and significantly renovate the hotel and casino. In March 2019, the company announced that they would partner with Hyatt Hotels Corp and will bring a Hyatt Regency hotel to the property and will bring “multiple” Hyatt full-service brands to Las Vegas.”

Reaction to the move

The announcement of the WSOP from the Rio to Bally’s has been mostly positive and a welcome change, with some nostalgic for the only WSOP site they have ever known.