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Texas Card House Opens First Legal Poker Room in Austin

March 11, 2015 by Edgar Barguiarena

Texas Card House in Austin

Texas Card House on Manchaca in South Austin (Credit Taylor Wier)

It almost sounds too good to be true. Legal gambling in Austin? Short of a four hour drive to Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino in Eagle Pass, it simply didn’t exist before now. Texas Card House hasย changed all that, offering the first legal poker room in Austin–and in the whole state of Texas outside reservations.

The trick is in the language. Texas Card House offers membership to a โ€œcard and social clubโ€ and provides a facility where members canย gamble. There areย no tips to the dealer and no rake (house share). Texas Holdem poker will be on the tables most nights, but other card games like Omaha Poker or Bridge/Gin/Hearts/Spades are available upon request.

How to Legalize Gambling in Texas

This gutsy move is the brainchild of Sam Von Kennel. Samโ€™s unique background gave him the perfect insight to set up the first legal poker room in the state of Texas. You see, Sam used to work for the Chairman of the Licensing and Administrative committee. โ€œWe got lobbied by all the major casinos including Harrahโ€™s and MGM. They all wanted a piece of Texas,โ€ Sam mentioned onย the club’sย grand opening night.

Texas Card House Poker Tables

Four tables in the main room – Texas Holdem will be the primary game played (Credit Taylor Wier)

None of the casinos were successful in lobbying for legalized gambling in Texas, but Samโ€™s experience gave him the idea for exploiting the loophole in state law. As an avid poker player whoย runs regular house games, Von Kennel came up with the membership idea to give folks a setting where they can play poker in a fun, safe environment.

Country Club Setting

โ€œThe hardest part about setting up this business was finding a landlord that would be willing to rent to us once they found out what we were doing,โ€ Sam said.

Once they found the right location in South Austin it was just a matter of sprucing up the place with a few HDTVโ€™s, four pro-level poker tables and a lounge area where players can wait for the next game. Sam intends to have all the major sports packages forย watching live sports, and eventually intends to buy major fighting events on the weekends. โ€œThis will be a social club as much as a poker room. I want people to enjoy hanging out here,โ€ Sam told me.

Legal Poker Game at Texas Card House in Austin

Tournament chips at Texas Card House, Austin’s first legal poker room (Credit Taylor Wier)

Texas Card Houseย doesn’tย have an alcohol license yet, but they’llย be working on that in the coming months. As a workaround, certain membership levels will get you up to three drinks on the house. There were two polite servers running around getting drinks and water on openingย night. And surprisingly, there was a ratio of about 65/35 guys to girls at the event.

How Texas Card Houseย Works

The idea of legal gambling right here in the capital of Texas can be hard to grasp, so let me go over the rules again. Potential gamblers pay a daily or monthly membership forย access to the card tables. Once there, they are provided with a dealer and table alongsideย up to 9 other players. There are currently $60 rebuy tournaments set up Wednesday-Sunday nights, as well as the option toย walk into a cash game.

Check out their scheduleย to see the types of games being played and when they start. Membership levels are as follows:

Poker Chips at Texas Card House in Austin

Credit: Taylor Wier

Single Day Silver Membership

  • $25
  • Valid through the end of the night
  • Allows access to Texas Card House’sย rake, tip free card room and non-alcoholic beverage menu

Single Day Gold Membership

  • $35
  • Valid through the end of the night
  • Allows access to Texas Card House’sย rake, tip free card room and up to three alcoholic beverages
  • Includesย priority seating for gameplay and entrance into free roll promotional events of that day

Silver Level Membership

  • $100/month
  • Allows access to Texas Card House’sย rake, tip free card room and non-alcoholic beverage menu

Gold Level Membership

  • $150/month
  • Allows access to Texas Card House’sย rake, tip free card room and up to three alcoholic beverages a night
  • Includesย priority seating for gameplay and entrance into promotional free tool events

Founders Level Membership

  • $100/month
  • Minimum 6 month purchase required
  • Allows access to Texas Card House’sย rake, tip free card room and up to three alcoholic beverages a night
  • Includesย priority seating for gameplay and entrance into promotional free tool events
Poker Chips at Texas Card House

Credit: Taylor Wier

The first legal poker room in Texas has been open for only a few weeks now, but they’re already thinkingย about expanding. The current facility has a back room with the potential for up to 10 more tables. Given the club’s way south Austin location and immense popularity so far, I suspect a north Austin location is inevitable.

The concept works as its intended to, giving players a safe environment to legally gamble playing poker. Youโ€™re left with only one question after your first experience, how has nobody thought of this before?

Located at 11907 Manchaca Road

@Crafty_Ed wants to know:

Do you play regular house games? If so, would you consider Texas Card Houseย as an alternative?

  • Author
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Edgar Barguiarena
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Filed Under: Activities, Discoveries, Entertainment, Nightlife Tagged With: south austin

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Comments

  1. K says

    March 11, 2015 at 2:36 pm

    Unfortunately, he will be raided and shut down in a month.

    • v says

      April 11, 2015 at 4:12 am

      Wow, nice call. They did get raided a month later.

      • Texas Card House says

        April 21, 2015 at 11:09 pm

        We have not been raided. We still have all chips in play. We do not plan on ever being raided. We are not sure who keeps falsely speaking about the club, but we will get the false comments taken off of this article asap. For any questions please call us (512) 284-9804

        • Patrick Jones says

          April 22, 2015 at 4:22 pm

          How do you explain this? Even if you don’t get raided it looks like you will still have issues.

          Looks like the owner is getting sued:

          Daniel Kebort; THE Poker Lounge Partnership
          v.
          Samuel Von Kennel; Texas Card House, LLC
          4/14/2015 D-1-GN-15-001472Fiduciary
          duty, fraud and misappropriation. Defendant Samuel Von Kennel broke a
          partnership agreement with plaintiff Daniel Kebort by forming Texas Card
          House, LLC without his knowledge and by stealing the partnership’s
          trade secrets and business plans.

          • Steve says

            May 22, 2015 at 10:09 pm

            You do understand you can be sued for just about anything and in no way does it actually mean you are guilty or have broken a law. The “trade secrets” are bullshit. If they didn’t have a noncompete there is clearly nothing illegal and the other individual would have to pay the noncompete.

      • Poker host 1 says

        October 18, 2015 at 7:23 pm

        Odd..

  2. Irishmike says

    March 11, 2015 at 9:43 pm

    Really, The first. Elks, VFWs, Knights of Columbus, Redmen Etc. Have been doing it for decades. We (They) just aren’t looking for publicity. Oh, by the way all wagering (gambling) is illegal in Texas. There are excetions to the law. http://www.gambling-law-us.com/State-Laws/Texas/

    • Edgar B says

      March 12, 2015 at 4:12 pm

      Those are all multi-use facilities. This is a dedicated business that is solely meant to house card games.

    • Poker host 1 says

      October 18, 2015 at 7:00 pm

      • Irishmike says

        October 18, 2015 at 8:12 pm

        pulled it off Google Images like I do a lot of the pictures I use. Don’t really research where they come from. Here are some I used this week. Thought it was a cool logo. I’ll Take it down if you want.

        • Poker host 1 says

          July 1, 2020 at 12:35 am

          Thank you for your continued support.

          Alamo City Poker Club and Chips 4 Children will strive to provide you the best in hosting and camaraderie as your private poker hosts in 2015.
          Play Strong,
          2103520357

    • Irishmike says

      October 18, 2015 at 8:15 pm

      sorry once it’s been posted can’t take it down.

  3. Irishmike says

    March 11, 2015 at 9:50 pm

    47.04. Keeping a Gambling Place

    (a) A person commits an offense if he knowingly uses or permits another to use as a gambling place any real estate, building, room, tent, vehicle, boat, or other property whatsoever owned by him or under his control, or rents or lets any such property with a view or expectation that it be so used.

    (b) It is an affirmative defense to prosecution under this section that:

    (1) the gambling occurred in a private place;

    (2) no person received any economic benefit other than personal winnings; and

    (3) except for the advantage of skill or luck, the risks of losing and the chances of winning were the same for all participants.

    (c) An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor.

    • Billpoker says

      July 5, 2015 at 9:53 pm

      The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that poker isn’t gambling. Why all of the selective legalese? I’m guessing that the Indians are behind this because they like their monopoly. Imagine if winstar had to compete with these rates!

  4. jarrod says

    March 13, 2015 at 2:29 pm

    Playing at a place of business, or home its legal to play poker if all players have the same advantage and all money is available to win by the players. No tip or rake and it’s legal. And no entry fee to walk in the door that doesn’t go to the pot.

    100% legal.

  5. Philipp Knirck says

    March 14, 2015 at 4:11 pm

    wow this is sooooo cheap! u normally play 10-20 per hour in rake!!! i almost thing it is too cheap!!

    the games must be really good!

  6. Patrick Jones says

    March 14, 2015 at 8:02 pm

    This is not an original idea. It looks like the only brainchild he had was stealing bills while working in the chairman’s office.

    http://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/15150-social-poker-bill-introduced-in-texas

  7. Dave from UofT says

    April 5, 2015 at 1:30 am

    They got raided yesterday I heard

    • Texas Card House says

      April 7, 2015 at 7:14 pm

      Texas Card House did not get raided. We are open this week Tuesday-Friday 7pm-3am.

  8. Texas Card House says

    April 7, 2015 at 7:15 pm

    We di not get raided. We are open this week Tuesday-Friday 7pm-3am.

  9. Texas Card House says

    April 8, 2015 at 10:29 am

    Retraction: We did get raided. But we are still open 7pm-3am for now.

  10. Oliver says

    July 1, 2020 at 12:35 am

    It’s a really nice room. Great action and a great place to buy weed

  11. Confused says

    April 9, 2015 at 5:39 am

    This is really confusing. Did they get raided or not?

  12. Chancey says

    April 12, 2015 at 10:33 am

    The police took all the chips $5 and higher so they have been using custom Texas Card House drink coasters like plaques.

    • Bob says

      April 13, 2015 at 12:58 am

      What do you mean they took $5 and higher chips? And what happen during the raid? Im interested in coming our to TCH but not if im gonna end up in trouble or something

    • Edgar B says

      April 20, 2015 at 11:40 am

      Can you clarify a bit more? This seems like an odd way to handle enforcement on an issue like this.

    • Texas Card House says

      April 21, 2015 at 11:06 pm

      We have not been raided. We still have all chips in play. We do not plan on ever being raided. We are not sure who keeps falsely speaking about the club, but we will work to get the false comments taken off of this article asap. For any questions please call us (512) 284-9804.

  13. Texas Card House says

    April 16, 2015 at 10:23 pm

    We have not been raided. We still have all chips in play. We do not plan on ever being raided. We are not sure who keeps falsely speaking about the club, but we will get the false comments taken off of this article asap. For any questions please call us (512) 284-9804

  14. Patrick Jones says

    April 19, 2015 at 9:11 pm

    Looks like the owner is getting sued:

    Daniel Kebort; THE Poker Lounge Partnership
    v.
    Samuel Von Kennel; Texas Card House, LLC
    4/14/2015 D-1-GN-15-001472

    Fiduciary duty, fraud and misappropriation. Defendant Samuel Von Kennel broke a partnership agreement with plaintiff Daniel Kebort by forming Texas Card House, LLC without his knowledge and by stealing the partnership’s trade secrets and business plans.

    • Rancor says

      June 11, 2015 at 6:10 am

      Hey Patrick jones
      Read the transcripts of your trial. …. Judge says strike that…..
      Who are you suing next ? Your attorneys?
      Sorry you arent enjoying life

  15. Edward M Zihlman says

    July 7, 2015 at 11:05 am

    What happened. Lastnight….. There are comments on Facebook about it..

  16. Laila Dugom says

    October 18, 2015 at 6:31 pm

    This would be untrue.
    Chips 4 Children and Alamo City Poker Club created the first legal poker room in Austin, San Antonio, and Houston.

    They have been operating legally for over four years.

    Sam copied format and ideas from them.

    Respectfully,
    Laila Dugom

  17. Laila Dugom says

    October 18, 2015 at 6:36 pm

    I’m sorry to hear you were raided. Did anyone get arrested?

    What happened legally?

    Why were you not legal?

    We have never had any trouble. I pray we don’t. Each of our locations (12) only hold one-two tables max. But each location is take free. We operate off dyes and donations.

    We appreciate anything you can tell us to prevent us from doing anything wrong as well.
    We have given over $800k to local charities and members.

    Wishing you well,
    Laila
    Manager of player relations.
    Alamo City Poker Club

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