The eight Washington casinos set to shut in November will now stay open after Maverick Gaming CEO and high-stakes poker participant Eric Persson introduced he was shopping for again the properties from lenders.
According to Persson, the transfer adopted lenders forming RunItOneTime LLC in 2025 and notifying the Employment Security Department (ESD) in regards to the closures final week. The firm anticipated about 850 workers to lose their jobs.
The Maverick co-founder is forming a brand new firm to reacquire the properties.
Persson instructed KIRO radio that the properties will now keep open throughout the change of possession, with that deal closing in about three weeks. Persson stated the brand new firm, a brand new model of Maverick Gaming, will rehire the employees.
“From a customer standpoint … nothing changes,” Persson stated.
Transitioning To New Gaming Company
The sale brings a dramatic change to the way forward for the properties. The casinos set to shut have been:
- American Casino in Everett
- Chip’s Casino in Lakewood
- Macau Casino in Lakewood
- Palace Casino in Lakewood
- All Star Casino in Silverdale
- Casino Caribbean in Yakima
- Crazy Moose Casino in Pasco
- Coyote Bobs Casino in Kennewick
Persson stated the ESD notices signaled that present workers would depart RunItOneTime earlier than signing on with the brand new firm. He stated he tried to clear up confusion in regards to the ESD notices.
“The employees are being terminated as it relates to the old company and being rehired by the new company, but the properties themselves will stay open,” he stated.
“It would have been helpful, I think, if the WARN [worker adjustment and retraining notification] notice said that … there was an expected transition with another party, and these properties are expected to remain open.”
Persson Denies Ownership Of 2 Casinos Set To Close
Persson additional added that he was working with regulators to maintain all personnel of their jobs and to see the possession change proceed.
Beyond these eight properties, the corporate introduced the closure of two extra properties in Tukwila in September. The firm plans to shut these properties on Nov. 1, with 238 workers dropping their jobs. Persson posted on X/Twitter that he no longer owns these properties.
He instructed KIRO that the corporate was promoting two properties, however he didn’t identify the casinos. According to Persson, the corporate additionally bought three different Maverick casinos. He didn’t identify them.
New Maverick Not Part Of Bankruptcy
The high-stakes poker participant additionally tried to clear up points relating to the Chapter 11 chapter. Persson stated the corporate agreed to switch property to lenders in July 2025, and the lenders then filed for Chapter 11 chapter beneath a distinct firm, RunItOneTim.
As a part of that course of, he reacquired the Maverick Gaming identify and has shaped a brand new firm beneath that model. He stated the brand new Maverick just isn’t a part of any chapter proceedings.
As proprietor of the brand new Maverick, Persson stated he’s been buying property again from the lenders. That included 4 Washington cardrooms in Kirkland, Mountlake Terrace, and Lakewood in addition to a slot manufacturing firm. Repurchasing the opposite eight properties now adds to that portfolio.
“These properties aren’t closing,” he stated on X/Twitter. “Maverick Gaming is acquiring them. These jobs aren’t being lost, I’m protecting them.”
Persson additional stated: “Maverick Gaming is in no way affiliated with RunItOneTime LLC. They are 100% totally separate companies.”
According to Persson, the brand new Maverick will also be reacquiring a property in Elko, Nevada, in about three weeks.
The Maverick proprietor has alleged the state’s industrial casinos and cardrooms face a frightening enterprise local weather in comparison with Washington’s tribal gaming operations. That contains not permitting properties owned by the identical firm to function a centralized surveillance system.
