Also, if the dealer is tipped from a player’s winnings, the gambling is illegal. For example, a club that takes a share of anyone’s winnings (called “raking”) is in clear violation of the law. Various ways of funding have been tried, some of which are clearly illegal. The struggle for the owners is to find some sort of revenue to fund the clubs and pay the expenses associated with them, including rent, leasehold improvements and furnishings such as tables and chairs.
The thorny question is whether the owners of these poker clubs receive economic benefits. Poker clubs in the Coastal Bend and across the state are being organized as private clubs. To be legal, gambling must meet all the criteria. The practice is legal if the gambling is done in a private place if no person has received any economic benefit other than personal winnings and, except for the advantage of skill or luck, the risks of losing and the chances of winning are the same for all participants. Texas law outlines legal defenses for gambling. Hanging in the balance are four clubs in Corpus Christi, two in Kingsville and one in Alice.Īt issue is whether these poker clubs meet the Texas gambling laws. While poker clubs have sprouted like mushrooms in the Coastal Bend, authorities are waiting for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to rule on whether the clubs are even legal.
