Quote:
Originally Posted by psandman
The game itself may not be legal. Don't assume that just because it's happening in the open that it's legal.
100% this
Quote:
Originally Posted by answer20
In Michigan, a charity poker room can't offer pizza to Players 'only'. It would have to let anyone who walks in to enjoy as well.
Without getting into specifics about what skirts the laws and what doesn't, Michigan Charity poker market is a great case study in how these and similar "membership" rooms emerge.
Michigan went from almost nothing to close to 300 poker tables operating in market in lighting speed. They then collapsed under their own weight.
MGCB got involved and closed rooms left and right. There are still some rooms operating, but not anywhere close to what it was.
Texas, I believe is about to reach a similar tipping point where we've seen recent expansion in "membership" rooms popping up .
Operators can try all sorts of things to skirt the laws, but the more rooms that open in state, the more exposure and thus scrutiny they receive by authorities.
No operator will open a room unless there is profit for them.
Although laws vary widely from state to state, they are all similar in the basic theme that profiting from operating a game of chance is illegal.