A Texas state representative is asking the Attorney General, Ken Paxton to rule on whether commercial poker clubs violate the Lone Star State’s “kitchen-table poker” that allows poker to take place “in a private place.”
Rep. Chris Turner is aiming his sights at commercial poker clubs, which, he feels, are clearly violating the law.
The Texas Penal Code that covers this, stipulates that “no person received any economic benefit other than personal winnings,” and that the risks of losing or winning is the same for all participants, except the advantage skill or luck gives them.
Turner wrote the Attorney General that various fees the private clubs charge amount to “economic benefit.” Fees such as seat rentals could be considered an economic benefit. The representative said his understanding of the law was that it is “intended to keep third parties to any wagering activities from taking a commission from those not personally involved in the wagering activity,” adding, “This would, for example, include taking a cut of an individual’s winnings from a hand of poker or their winnings from a sports bet.”
Supporting Turner is Roger Weems, chairman of Texas Against Gambling, who told the Baptist Standard “Both the law and the plain meaning of the words are crystal clear. An ‘economic benefit’ is anything of financial value that changes hands.”
Weems argues that the commercial poker clubs charging of membership or seat fees does not, as they claim, constitute a friendly poker exception.
“These establishments are mistaken. It is past time that Texas had some serious law enforcement on these establishments,” he declared.
Other lawmakers have in the past asked Paxton to offer an opinion on whether poker clubs that charge membership fees or get other compensation are operating within the law, but he hasn’t yet done so.
