Texas and poker have a long and proud history. The Lone Star State is the birthplace of poker’s greatest ambassador Doyle Brunson, plus numerous other WSOP legends like TJ Cloutier, Doug Polk and Ben Tollerene. What’s more, it gives its name to the most popular form of poker in modern times. Let’s be honest, Nevada Holdem just wouldn’t sound the same.
From all that, you would reasonably think that visitors to Texas would be guaranteed a memorable night at a poker club. That’s true, but not necessarily for the right reasons, as events that took place during the second half of 2022 suggest a growing likelihood that it could easily end with a ride in the back of a police car.
Recent months have seen Texas police raid poker rooms in Flint and Watauga, leading to the permanent closure of both clubs. The latter incident occurred on the second day of the Fall Classic Main Event. 10 staff members were arrested, all players were fined and $200,000 in cash was seized as evidence.
Ambiguous poker laws
The bizarre aspect to all this is that these poker clubs had been openly operating for years. They were not undercover gambling dens run in secret, and dozens of other very similar clubs continue to operate. Now, however, players and staff in all of them cannot help but be aware of the storm clouds gathering and wonder if they will be the next day’s news headlines.
It all comes about due to the ambiguity of Texas poker laws. These state that professional gambling establishments are illegal, that is very clear. However, they allow for fair gambling games to take place in a private place if the only financial gain is through personal winnings.
Texas poker clubs claim that they meet these requirements. They argue that poker is fair, they are private member clubs, which meets the “private place” stipulation and they do not charge a rake for hosting the game, which meets the final requirement. Instead, they might charge anything from a membership fee to a “seat fee” to participants.
For years, Texas poker clubs have operated in this way, and the legal authorities have left them in peace to do so. However, recent events suggest that change is in the air.
Clarification could be bad news for poker players
Democratic State Representative Gene Wu filed House Bill 732 and if it passes, it could spell an end to the poker clubs. Anti-gambling lobbyists have long argued that a member’s club is still a public place and Wu’s bill would render the point irrelevant by changing the wording to “private residence.”
Even if the bill does not pass, Texan poker clubs are not going to be the most comfortable places to be over the coming months. For most amateur players, online poker makes more sense on every level. Resources like the Legal US Poker Sites website provide details of safe and legal facilities that are available to Texans 24/7.