Joker’s Casino Richland is a local cardroom at the Atomic Bowl entertainment complex in Richland, Washington. Its strongest draw is live table games and a dedicated poker room alongside bowling, comedy, and nightlife. The main limitation: this is an evening-out venue, not an overnight casino resort or a destination for rows of slot machines. I think it makes the most sense for Tri-Cities card players and groups who want something to do between hands.
Joker’s Casino quick facts
| Address | 624 Wellsian Way, Richland, WA 99352 |
|---|---|
| Casino type | House-banked public cardroom within the Atomic Bowl complex |
| Phone | (509) 943-1173; extension 5 for poker |
| Minimum gambling age | 18 |
| Table-game hours | Open daily at 10 a.m.; closing times vary |
| Gaming focus | Blackjack variants, poker-based table games, and player-versus-player poker |
| Poker room | Yes, with separate hours and an online waiting list |
| Sportsbook | No |
| Hotel | No attached hotel |
| Other attractions | Bowling, arcade, comedy club, and nightclub |
| Official website | Joker’s Casino at Atomic Bowl |
| Source consultation date | October 13, 2026 |
What kind of casino is Joker’s?
Think cardroom with several ways to spend the rest of your evening. The Washington State Gambling Commission’s property record classifies Joker’s as a house-banked public cardroom, and its cardroom directory includes the Wellsian Way location.
That format matters more than the word “casino” on the sign. The gambling appeal is sitting at a live card table or joining a poker game. The surrounding activities make it easier to bring friends who would rather bowl, watch comedy, or dance than gamble all night.
My comparison is straightforward: choose Joker’s for cards plus an evening out; choose a resort-style property for a room, a slot floor, and a casino-centered weekend. Our guide to Washington casinos covers the broader mix of properties.
Table games, slots, and video poker
Joker’s advertises these live table games:
- Spanish 21
- Player’s Edge 21
- Double Action Blackjack
- Heads Up Hold ‘Em
- High Card Flush
- Emperor’s Challenge Pai Gow
- Match The Dealer Blackjack
- 3 Card Poker
That is a useful range for a cardroom, although an advertised game is not a promise that its table will be staffed when you arrive. I would check the rules before buying in, particularly at a blackjack variant. Familiar-looking cards do not necessarily mean familiar payouts or playing decisions.
For Match The Dealer Blackjack, distinguish the underlying blackjack game from the optional Match the Dealer wager, and read the side-bet paytable before adding money. Heads Up Hold ‘Em and Pai Gow are also house-banked games, separate from the poker room where players compete against one another.
Is Joker’s a slot or video-poker destination?
No. Its published gambling offering centers on live cards and poker. If choosing machines and comparing video-poker paytables is your idea of a casino afternoon, I would look elsewhere.
Table minimums and the cost of a complete hand
There is no supported current table minimum to quote here. Check the posted limits, and call ahead if a particular stake is essential to your visit.
A poker-based game’s opening wager may be only part of the money needed to finish a hand. Joker’s published Heads Up Hold ‘Em rules require equal Ante and Blind wagers, followed by a possible Play wager. Trips is optional.
With an illustrative $5.00 Ante, the calculations show total commitment of $25.00 for a preflop raise, $20.00 for a flop raise, or $15.00 for a final-round Play wager. With an illustrative $10.00 Ante, the preflop-raise commitment is $50.00. These examples exclude Trips and are not confirmed Joker’s limits or predictions of losses.
Gamboool original analysis
We assembled the comparison below from published information and our calculations. These are selected examples, rather than measured gambling sessions or a representative survey.
| Detail | Published information |
|---|---|
| Joker’s Casino: Regulatory category | The regulator’s property record identifies a house-banked public cardroom. |
| Joker’s Casino: Presence in the regulator’s house-banked cardroom directory | The directory includes the Richland property at Wellsian Way; this observation does not establish a renewed license expiration date. |
| Heads Up Hold’Em: Opening wagers and optional side bet | Equal Ante and Blind wagers are required; Trips is optional. |
| Heads Up Hold’Em: Preflop Play wager | The player can check or make a Play wager equal to three times the Ante. |
| Heads Up Hold’Em: Flop Play wager | After checking preflop, the player may wager twice the Ante; a player who already raised cannot add another wager. |
| Heads Up Hold’Em: Final-round wager or fold | After checking twice, the player must wager exactly the Ante or fold and lose both opening wagers. |
| Heads Up Hold’Em: Dealer opening requirement | The dealer needs at least a pair to open. |
| Joker’s casino pit: Published opening and closing policy | The pit advertises daily morning opening and different earliest closing times for the specified day groups. The passage does not specify Tuesday or Wednesday closing times. |
| Joker’s poker room: Published schedule | The property publishes a separate poker-room schedule, with different opening times from the casino pit. |
| Joker’s Poker waitlist: Initial check-in deadline | Players have one hour to check in before being moved to the bottom of the list. |
| Joker’s Poker waitlist: Removal and ongoing check-in policy | Players are removed after two hours without checking in; hourly staff check-ins can preserve their place. |
| Joker’s Poker waitlist: Absent-player seating policy | An available seat goes to the next available player when the person at the top is absent. |
| Joker’s Poker: New-game seating grace period | A player has a five-minute grace period after a game starts before the seat is given up. |
| Joker’s Poker: Seat purchase restriction | A player cannot buy a seat for another player. |
| Joker’s Poker: Typical second-table opening threshold | The room typically needs seven players on the list, including at least six present, before opening another table; this is not a guaranteed opening. |
| Joker’s Poker tournaments: Advertised Holdem amount | A Holdem tournament is listed at $100.00; the extracted label does not explain fee allocation or reentry terms. |
| Joker’s Poker tournaments: Advertised Turbo amount | A Turbo tournament is listed at $50.00; the extracted label does not explain fee allocation or reentry terms. |
| Calculation | Result | Takeaway |
|---|---|---|
| Heads Up Hold’Em: total commitment with a $5.00 Ante and a preflop raise | $25.00 committed per hand, excluding optional Trips | The Ante alone understates the money needed to make an early raise. This example is not a published table minimum. |
| Heads Up Hold’Em: total commitment with a $5.00 Ante and a flop raise | $20.00 committed per hand, excluding optional Trips | A flop raise requires less total money than the early-raise example, but commitment size alone does not establish which decision is strategically better. |
| Heads Up Hold’Em: total commitment with a $5.00 Ante and a final-round Play wager | $15.00 committed per hand, excluding optional Trips | Checking twice does not let a player reach showdown without another wager; the alternative is folding and forfeiting the opening bets. |
| Heads Up Hold’Em: total commitment with a $10.00 Ante and a preflop raise | $50.00 committed per hand, excluding optional Trips | Compare this with the smaller-Ante early-raise example before choosing a stake. Neither example represents a confirmed Joker’s table limit. |
| Difference between advertised $100.00 Holdem and $50.00 Turbo tournament amounts | $50.00 of difference between advertised tournament amounts | The Turbo listing has a lower advertised amount, but confirm fees, reentry terms, and structures before treating either listing as the full visit cost. |
Research references: wsgc.wa.gov 1, wsgc.wa.gov 2, atomicbowl.com, jokerspoker.live.
Method: Published inputs collected 2026-10-13. Illustrative assumptions are labeled, and the full calculation inputs remain in the saved research record. These examples support planning; they do not predict a particular session.
My takeaway: budget for the whole hand, not just the Ante. A smaller wager does not automatically make a decision strategically better. After checking twice, reaching showdown still requires a Play wager; folding forfeits the opening wagers.
Joker’s poker room
Joker’s has a dedicated player-versus-player poker room. The official poker website provides a live waiting list, tournament listings, and seating rules, with Hold’em and Omaha referenced in its promotions.
Poker hours
- Monday through Thursday: 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. or later.
- Friday and Saturday: 3 p.m. to 2 a.m. or later.
- Sunday: noon to 4 a.m.
These are the advertised poker hours, not the casino pit’s schedule. Confirm the current game and seating situation before making a special trip.
Waiting-list rules
Joining the list does not reserve a seat. Players have one hour to check in before being moved to the bottom and are removed after two hours without checking in. Hourly check-ins with staff can preserve their position. If a seat opens while a player is absent, the next available player gets it.
The room says it typically needs seven players on the list, with at least six present, before opening another table. A published schedule and an available seat are different things, so check the list before traveling.
Tournament costs
The poker site lists a $100.00 Holdem tournament and a $50.00 Turbo tournament. The supplied comparison shows a $50.00 difference between those advertised amounts, but neither label establishes the complete cost or value. Check the structure, fee allocation, and reentry terms. I would rather understand the event than choose solely by the smaller price tag.
Sportsbook
Joker’s Casino has no on-property retail sportsbook. A sports bar is not a betting counter, and watching a game over a drink should not be confused with placing a wager at the property.
Hotel and overnight planning
There is no attached hotel at Joker’s. An overnight visit requires separate accommodation in Richland or elsewhere in the Tri-Cities, plus transportation planning.
I would choose a hotel for the overall trip rather than try to turn this cardroom into a resort stay. If drinks are part of the evening, arrange a designated driver, taxi, or rideshare ahead of time, especially for a late departure.
Food and drinks
Food and drinks fit the casual entertainment-venue setting: a bite between activities and a drink with friends, rather than a tour of several casino restaurants. Check the current menu and kitchen hours before relying on a late meal.
Displayed comments on the comedy club’s Restaurant Guru page praise the shows and welcoming staff, including a favorable bartender report displayed as three months old when collected. An older review also praises dinner, but I would give that less weight when planning a meal today. The useful signal is hospitality and entertainment, not a current dish-by-dish restaurant assessment.
Bowling, comedy, arcade, and nightlife
The variety of activities is Joker’s clearest advantage over a stand-alone cardroom. A mixed-interest group can make cards one part of the night rather than the entire itinerary.
Atomic Bowl describes selectable bumpers that rise for bowlers ages 10 and younger and retract for older bowlers. Children and adults can share a lane without everyone using the same setup; separate casino and event admission rules still apply.
Displayed Birdeye reviews include praise for dealers and a Saturday Latin-dance experience, particularly the music mix, dance floor, and people. Those dance comments were displayed as roughly eleven months old when collected, so check the current calendar rather than assuming the same program runs every Saturday.
Book around the least flexible activity first. A ticketed comedy show has a start time; your table-game session can wait. For bowling, ask about lane availability, reservations, shoe rental, and pricing.
If you see “Nuclear Bowling” on the schedule, Strike Spots identifies it as cosmic bowling. Ask which sessions offer that format when coordinating bowling with cards or a show.
Directions, hours, and practical visit information
Use 624 Wellsian Way, Richland, WA 99352, or the Atomic Bowl complex as your destination. Call (509) 943-1173 for department-specific questions. Allow time to park and find the appropriate entrance before a show, and contact the venue for accessible arrival or seating arrangements.
Casino pit hours
Table games open at 10 a.m. daily. The official page says closing is:
- Sunday and Monday: no earlier than midnight.
- Thursday through Saturday: no earlier than 2 a.m.
- Tuesday and Wednesday: closing times are not specified; call ahead.
These are earliest closing times, not guaranteed final closing times. Poker and entertainment have separate schedules.
Age and entry
The minimum gambling age is 18. Bring government-issued photo identification. Alcohol service is restricted to guests 21 and older, and entertainment areas or events may have separate admission rules. Bowling and an arcade do not mean every part of the complex is open to children.
Budgeting and visit logistics
Keep your gambling bankroll separate from bowling, shoe rental, arcade play, show tickets, food, drinks, transportation, and accommodation. I would leave breathing room between a meal and a show rather than count on immediate bar service.
If smoking arrangements, parking costs, or a particular accessibility feature will determine whether you visit, ask about that specific requirement when calling.
Rewards and promotions
Ask staff about current table-game rewards and how play is tracked. A directory summary mentions points but describes the system as potentially complicated; that is not enough to promise an earning rate or benefit. Poker promotions have their own conditions, so check qualifying games, times, and payout rules.
What guests praise, and where complaints arise
The most useful recurring praise is approachable staff. Displayed comments on Loc8NearMe, including entries dated June and July 2026, describe friendly employees, a relaxed atmosphere, and dealers helping someone new to casino tables. Older displayed comments elsewhere point in a similar direction.
I take that as encouraging for someone who likes live cards but finds a busy casino intimidating. It remains subjective feedback, not a guarantee about every dealer or shift. The displayed reviews are a selection, and directories may reproduce the same underlying reviews.
The Loc8NearMe summary describes slow bar service on some nights and busy bowling periods. Staff can be welcoming while service takes longer during a busy evening, so these reports do not necessarily conflict with the friendliness praise. They are situational complaints, not evidence that every visit involves a wait.
One May 2026 arcade comment warns that the giant claw game consumed funds quickly. That is an isolated spending complaint, not a verdict on the whole arcade, but it reinforces the value of setting a separate arcade allowance.
The more predictable limitation is logistics: poker seats depend on attendance, departments keep different hours, and scheduled entertainment needs advance planning.
Who Joker’s Casino is best for
Joker’s suits Tri-Cities card players and mixed-interest groups who want poker or table games alongside bowling, comedy, or dancing. Displayed guest feedback repeatedly praises approachable dealers and a relaxed atmosphere, while entertainment comments suggest the complex can make a satisfying local night out. The trade-off is scheduling: poker seats depend on attendance, and some reports describe bar delays or busy bowling periods. Choose another property if your priority is a quieter casino-focused visit, a broad slot selection, or an all-in-one overnight resort.
Frequently asked questions
Does Joker’s Casino Richland have a poker room?
Yes. It has a dedicated player-versus-player poker room with separate hours and an online waiting list. It is distinct from poker-based casino table games.
Does Joker’s have a sportsbook?
No. Joker’s has no on-property retail sportsbook.
What time do table games open?
The casino pit advertises a 10 a.m. opening daily. Poker opens later, with different opening times by day.
Does Joker’s have an on-site hotel?
No. An overnight trip requires separate accommodation and transportation planning.
How old do you have to be to gamble?
The minimum gambling age is 18. Alcohol service is for guests 21 and older, and event admission rules can differ.
Should I join the poker list before traveling?
Checking the live list is useful, but joining does not reserve a seat. Follow the check-in rules, and call extension 5 if game availability is central to your trip.
Sources and research note
This guide draws on the official casino and poker pages, Washington State Gambling Commission listings, and guest-review pages linked above. Public materials were consulted October 12 and 13, 2026. Review observations describe guests’ experiences, not a personal visit by the author; wager examples are illustrative calculations from published rules, not casino testing.
Use the current official pages for visit planning, and confirm games, schedules, and prices before making a special trip.
Poker room and sportsbook
There is no on-site sportsbook.