That was just one donation. Here's an excellent article from 2009 detailing donations during 2008:

Gambling Interests Bet $7.6 Million On Texas Politicians In 2008 Cycle [tpj.org]

Indian tribes accounted for 7 percent of gambling money, led by the Oklahoma-based Chickasaw and Choctaw nations. These flush tribes collectively spent $477,508 on Texas elections. The Oklahoma tribes have opposed Texas gambling expansions that would compete with their casinos across the Red River.

no doubt. just wish the sheep voters in this country would see it.

This place will be shut down. Texas is such a bass-ackward state.

Sucks for me, I moved from Cleveland to Austin about a month and a half ago and there are no games anywhere. I'm gonna miss Live poker. Wouldn't even know where to begin to find private games. Wouldn't feel comfortable anyways. The player pool in Cleveland was mainly soft. Sigh.

This place is like 2 miles from my house. It has no chance of survival.

This is more than likely a game that will get shutdown. Somehow, someway, some city official or state agency is going to find another loophole and get that sucker closed up. I've lived in Austin for the past 18 years (I had a brief 3 year spell in Philadelphia) and I know an old school poker dude who tried to open a place called the "Redmen Club" in downtown Austin quite a few years back. It was the same sort of deal as this one...and I think it eventually got shut down. It would be cool if it could remain open, but the religoturds don't want you to spend your money the way you want, plain and simple.

On the whole gaming in Texas thing....there has been a theory as to the real reason they want to keep casinos out of Texas. It goes something like this.. It does indeed partly have to do with the surrounding states, but a big reason is because Indian tribes are subject to different laws (such as the Tiguas in Eagle Pass) they don't pay anything to the state to operate. They keep all the money that comes into their casinos. And since the money that is coming in via poker and slots and because the casino is located in a remote part of the state, the State of Texas doesn't view it as so much a threat. Now, if you allow table games (craps, roulette, blackjack, etc.) in that casino, it's a whole hell of a lot of money that they would be generating as people would flock there for holiday vacations, etc. Guess who misses out on all that revenue? The state. So, if you allow those games, now you have every little rinky dink tribe in the state trying to open up a casino and some of those tribes are near Houston, Austin, San Antonio and Dallas. That's a ton of people a tribe and it's casino would have access to, which means millions of dollars would NOT be going to the good ol' Lone Star State. It's pretty simplistic, but that's what a lobbyist whose worked on the gambling bills (that gets shelved every year in the state leg told me).

To the dude from Cleveland who was asking about games in the city. I've been playing at one for over 10 years. It's safe, there is food, rake is low and the guy who runs it is top notch. No bull**** going on and I've never had a single problem there. Lots of rec players there, the game is soft, can get wild at times, but he's got a good schedule 4 nights a week (NLH, HORSE, PLO) - plus he has good dealers. PM me and I'll give him a call and see if he wants a new face out to his game.

This entire point is moot when you consider that the largest casino in the world is located on the Oklahoma/TX border and well over 90% of the players there are Texans and the State of Texas will never see any of that revenue.

Sorry, I don't believe for one second that they couldn't craft a bill that determines who would be able to open casinos and what taxes those casinos would have to pay.

Tribes are not required to pay fees on Class II gaming, they are when they negotiate Class III agreements/compacts.

The Kickapoos (Lucky Eagle Casino - Eagle Pass, TX) have asked the State of Texas since 1996 to negotiate a compact so they can offer Class III gaming.

The State has steadfastly refused.

States and/or local governments receive money from Indian casinos, via mitigation agreements, exclusivity fees and compacts.

Here's information about mitigation agreements in California:

California Tribal Casinos: Questions and Answers [lao.ca.gov]

A few local governments receive significant funds directly from tribes under mitigation agreements reached with tribes for such things as traffic and law enforcement costs. The Rumsey Band of Wintun Indians, for example, pays Yolo County several million dollars per year to address off-reservation impacts of the tribe’s casino.

The compact in Florida:

State should continue the Seminole Gaming Compact [sun-sentinel.com]

A billion dollars -- $1,000,000,000. As of this April, that's how much money the Seminole Tribe will have shared with the state of Florida as its portion of gaming revenue, since the first Gaming Compact between the Tribe and the state went into effect in January of 2008.

It's all thanks to revenue sharing provisions in the Gaming Compact, which includes some gaming exclusivity for the Tribe in exchange for revenue to the state.

In 2014, the Tribe will contribute a minimum of $250 million to the state of Florida, although that number is expected to move higher as the Tribe's gaming revenues increase. It's a rare deal when the state gets more money than expected, but that's the success of Seminole Gaming and the value of the Gaming Compact, and why the state should move now to continue the Compact for 2015 and beyond.

Oklahoma:

Which Tribes Are Paying the Most in Gaming Fees? [oklahomawatch.com]

There's a chart that shows fees from 32 tribes from 2010 through 2014.

The state receives $100+ million each year.

I can see this kind of club possibly working if you had a team of lawyers willing to fight the govt that this is legit but otherwise who's gonna spend a lot of $$ in legal fees when it gets shut?

If you need help finding games in Austin PM me; happy to help. I've helped a few other 2p2'ers.

Although just go check this place out. Pretty nice actually.

I strolled in and took down the tournament Friday. Field was gross soft. 30+ unique players with a handful of rebuys and numerous add ons. $1250 for 1st on a $60 buy in. Cha ching.

I may check it out. If they aren't shut down soon. How was the tournament structure? Typical charity poker super turbo? Or actual play for the first few levels?

Structure was actually really solid in my opinion. 8K starting stack with first blind level at 25/50. 20 min levels and the only steep jump was from 200/400 to 400/800. everything else was pretty standard. $60 rebuy before first break then a $30 add on.

Kept expecting to see unlimited alcoholic beverages at one of the membership levels. damn

Then it would just be a drunken stupor club for a 100 a month...

I may check it out today but probably Friday

They just got licensed for BYOB now so no need to pay extra for booze.

You go back yesterday? I'm in SA now but used to play games in Austin. I only know "industry" people in austin so they are all just ragging on the place.

Any updates?

review. 4 stars
Pros: Owner and players pleasant and good friendly banter even with people who just meet the first time last night. Tables and Chips brand new and the table is big enough to fit 10 people comfortable. Game ran well.

Cons: Currently only 4 tables and 3 were being used for the 8:00 tourney. So only one cash game table when I got there around 8:45. 2 hour wait for one of the tourney tables to be broken up. Not open on Saturday

Other: Owner said he is working on getting more tables and he will start to open every Sat in May not sure of the Day but said it was the day of the Manny Packy fight. If you want to play in the tourney on Friday night anyway need to get there around 7-7:30 I would guess. People seemed to like the tourney structure that I talked to but I have not played it so don't know.

Funny how its 2015 and there still isnt legal Texas hold em in Texas.
I hope this business thrives.

Owner says he worked with a lawyer, the DA, local Law Enforcement to make sure all is legal and even got permission for BYOB from the TABC and it is also outside Austin City Limits. My fear is that if to many of these spots start showing up someone from the STate get involved and either find a way that it is still not ok or pass laws to cover the loophole. But it is nice to only have to drive 35 miles instead of 300 since I have not found any home games since about 2010.

I am confused. If this place is legal, what does it matter if it is inside city limits or outside city limits?

I think maybe he means that austin police department may be more likely than the sheriff's department to mess with them too much. Or that the location is on the outskirts of town and not in a densely populated area. Which may also avoid neighbors calling the cops for suspicious traffic.

In reality, the apd and sheriff's pretty much leave raked games alone. Media coverage may actually force them to act in this situation tho.

Was back up there Friday. Didn't fair well in the tournament being absoutely card dead on an active table, but made a nice profit in the cash game.

Not sure what industry people would be ragging on the game for aside from it being super soft. The only downside for me is the location and time frame. It's deep south austin and it's only open 4 or 5 days from 7PM to 3AM. I'm way up north so the drive is a bitch and it'd be nice if it was open later, earlier or both.

The only time I've seen raked games get in touble is when they're dumb enough to advertise on Craigslist, or if other trouble happens such as drugs, fights, or cheating.

If any of you remember the lawyer that came through cheating with that card reader mechanism that ended up with one of the best rooms in Austin ever to get shut down when someone called the cheese because of it.

I don't mind the raked games - they're definitely tougher, but many of them are just poor locations or a seedy environment altogether (drugs, unsavory characters, dirty, etc). It's nice to be in a clean, safe feeling environment.