Eric Persson went from starring in some of the hottest televised poker duels to facing a much more complex battle off the tables. Maverick Gaming, the company he co-founded and currently leads as CEO, announced the closure of two casinos in Tukwila, Washington
The Great American Casino and the Riverside Casino, located a few kilometers south of Seattle, will permanently close their doors on November 1st. The decision will affect 238 workers, including dealers, cashiers, bartenders, cooks, and administrative staff.
The news came after Maverick filed the corresponding WARN notice with state authorities and represents a new blow to a company that in 2025 sought protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. bankruptcy law.
In that filing, Maverick declared assets and liabilities ranging broadly between US$100 million and US$500 million. This mechanism allows companies to continue operating while reorganizing their debts, but the path for Persson’s company has been especially difficult.
Eric Persson starred in one of the HU against Phil Hellmuth that was quite controversial.
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Among the causes are a weakened local economy, layoffs in Washington’s tech industry, and high operational costs. Additionally, the company had already closed other establishments. In July, they ceased operations at Crazy Moose Mountlake Casino, Silver Dollar Mill Creek Casino, and Silver Dollar SeaTac Casino.
Maverick currently maintains around 20 gaming properties, although its strategy of acquiring undervalued casinos to then improve their profitability seems to have encountered serious obstacles.
All this has also distanced Persson from his other public facet. The businessman had become a regular on shows like High Stakes Poker and Hustler Casino Live, as well as starring in a memorable heads-up against Phil Hellmuth
Persson has also been a harsh critic of the regulation of non-tribal operators in Washington.
For now, his most important game is no longer played on the felt: Maverick Gaming is trying to survive while continuing to lose chips off the table.
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