Money Laundering, Illegal Gambling Probe Behind Raid on Austin’s The Lodge Card Club

• Texas authorities raid Austin’s Lodge Card Club amid gambling investigation
  
• Players told to take chips home as club shuts during probe
  
• Case highlights ongoing legal uncertainty surrounding Texas poker rooms

A raid this week by Texas authorities on the Lodge Card Club in Austin, the state’s biggest poker room, is connected to investigation into money laundering and illegal gambling.

Agents with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission’s Financial Crimes Unit said they executed a search and seizure warrant at the club on March 10, according to a statement to Poker.org. Players at the popular cardroom, owned by pros Doug Polk, Andrew Neeme, and Brad Owen, reported that they were told to take their chips home with them without cashing out.

Authorities said in the statement that no arrests were made and no charges have been filed. The club remains closed while the investigation is ongoing.

Polk Calls ‘Witch Hunt’

“Our attorneys are working to understand the reasons behind the search, but at this time, the situation has not been explained to us,” the club said in a short statement on Wednesday night. “Our legal counsel has contacted the relevant authorities and hopes to learn more, but, in our view, we are operating with integrity, using all best practices, and for many years have been doing business in absolute accordance with Texas law.”

Most types of gambling are illegal in Texas. However, the state’s card rooms operate via what might be described as a “loophole” in Chapter 47 of the Texas Penal Code.

The Loophole

The statute states that “it is a defense to prosecution” if “the actor engaged in gambling in a private place [which includes a club]; no person 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 were the same for all.”

Authorities don’t always see it that way. In 2021, the Texas Card House in Dallas was ordered to close just months after obtaining a permit from city officials. A court ruling determined that the club could continue operating, but the ultimate question of the legality of poker rooms in Texas will likely be settled later in the state’s Supreme Court.