srothstein wrote:The parimutuel betting is only mentioned in chapter 46 if it is on horse racing or dog racing.
My worry is that gambling is still illegal in Texas. As I read it, the rooms do not meet the exception in the law of being in a private place (they are open to the public so they are public places). It is illegal to place a bet in a public place, and illegal to allow gambling on your premises or make a profit from it.
I am not sure how these poker rooms are getting around this yet. I think it is very similar to the 9 liners that are everywhere and have been ruled as gambling devices. I also remember the fad a few years back for gaming rooms where the machines paid out in tickets that could be exchanged for prizes instead of paying out cash. They were attempts to skirt the law that held up only until they got big enough or profitable enough to warrant the attention of the politicians. I would point out that half the incumbent district attorneys that had primary challengers in the election just lost. Some of the DAs facing challenges in the main election are bound to be looking for big busts to impress the electorate.
Of course, i could be wrong and they may have a very good position or even be legal.
My guess is they are walking a fine line by requiring a membership fee to get a seat at a table, so it's not technically open to the public.