- While charges weren’t filed against The Lodge Card Club, the state is still retaining more than $2 million in assets from the poker club.
- The card room was raided back in March on suspicion of illegal gambling and other charges, but no criminal charges have been filed.
- The Austin-area poker room is the largest in Texas with more than 70 card tables but remains closed during the legal process.
ROUND ROCK, Texas – The Lodge Card Club has avoided criminal charges for now, but the state remains in possession of more than $2 million in assets. So, without any criminal charges, how can the state legally hold onto club possessions?
Chapter 59 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedures states that authorities only need probable cause to seize assets, instead of needing to prove criminal activity. Article 59.021 C reads “…authorizing a peace officer to seize substitute property if the officer submits an affidavit that states: probable cause for the commission of an offense giving rise to forfeiture of contraband.”
What’s Next For The Lodge Card Club?
The full story begins on March 10, when the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission and an IRS agent raided The Lodge for suspicion of illegal gambling, money laundering, organized crime, and more that was enough to get a search and seizure warrant. Since then, the biggest provider of poker in Texas has remained closed without their money, but court documents revealed that the state won’t further pursue money laundering charges against The Lodge and is focusing on an illegal gambling charge.
Texas Penal Code 47.04 allows for private places to host legal poker if no person or player receives an economic benefit (like collecting a rake), but the state claims the club violated sections 47.03 and 47.04 of state penal code. Many other clubs in Texas that operate under the same pretense (private, no rake), making a potential future legal battle a difficult case.
For now, The Lodge will remain closed and has already laid off all their workers. No one has been charged or arrested as of Tuesday, April 21, but the future is uncertain with an impending legal process over the next few months.