- The Lodge Card Club was raided on March 10 by multiple agencies and has since shut down indefinitely, laying off its entire staff.
- Authorities are challenging the membership fee model that the club and roughly 30 other Texas poker rooms rely on to operate legally.
- No formal charges have been brought, though the investigation pressing forward has left the club in limbo with no indication of when operations might resume.
ROUND ROCK, Texas - Facing a multi-agency raid and a wall of legal pressure with no sign of letting up, The Lodge Card Club has shuttered its doors indefinitely and parted ways with its full workforce, marking a stunning turn for what had grown into one of the most recognizable poker rooms in the country.
On the morning of March 10, 2026, a coordinated effort between the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC), the Williamson County Sheriff's Office, and the IRS brought investigators to the Austin-area club's doorstep - seizing evidence and locking down assets as the agencies pressed forward with what they characterized as an active and ongoing investigation.
About sixteen hours before the invasion, the Lodge Championship Series Main Event came to an end. The timing of the attack directly interfered with the World Poker Tour's Wacky Weekend Wildcard tournament, which was set for that Friday.
At the time, players were stopped inside and asked to provide identification before being told to take their chips home. The WPT declared a postponement on the event, stating that it had no control over the issue.
Why Texas Poker Rooms Operate in a Legal Gray Area
Understanding how poker clubs in states with poker, like Texas, where regulations are so rigorous, manage to operate at all is crucial to understanding what transpired. Texas permits peer-to-peer card games in private settings even though the state prohibits traditional gambling, provided that no one is getting a percentage of the pot.
About 30 Texas poker sites and card rooms have relied on membership fees and hourly seat rentals as their primary source of income instead of rake.
Additionally, The Lodge had a TABC mixed-beverage license that allowed for the serving of alcohol on the property. The investigation seems to have taken into account a 2005 decision made by then-Attorney General Greg Abbott, who is currently governor, as it connects alcohol service to the possibility of reclassifying poker as unlawful gambling under Texas law.
There have been no arrests or charges brought. However, majority owner Jason Levin said two weeks after the raid that the Round Rock facility would be closed permanently and that all employees would be let go.
The club's San Antonio location is still open, but other Texas poker clubs that use the same structure may come under similar scrutiny if Williamson County prosecutors are able to prove that the membership model is unlawful.