ShareDoug Polk has founded a new organisation to fight back against the recent attacks by law enforcement on poker clubs in the Lone Star state. Texans for Hold’em aims to force legislators to clarify the law on how operators can run poker games legally without harassment from the police.
Will Doug Polk Be the Saviour of Poker in Texas?
Poker clubs all over Texas have been subject to raids and harassment by the authorities for some time now, seemingly misinterpreting the law deliberately. In Dallas, permits were issued to open poker rooms back in 2020 but by 2021 efforts were being made to close them all down. The city recently came under fire for spending $550,000 of taxpayer’s money in legal fees on the attacks.The crux of the legal arguments centres around the concept of what is called a social poker club where the owners cannot directly profit from rake, only by membership and seat fees. Currently there are more than 75 such venues in the state but a proposed bill is threatening to have them all shuttered.
Doug Pok’s new organisation is now aiming to clarify the matter before it is too late.
“Texans for Texas Holdem is an organization comprised of dedicated poker players and owners of social poker clubs who are committed to promoting and protecting the thriving poker community in Texas.
We believe that poker is more than just a game – it’s a crucial part of the fabric of Texas culture. The current laws of Texas need updating to uphold this fabric, we are communicating the need to clarify these laws to legislators and other stakeholders. “
