Member Log In
Renew Your Membership
Click Here
TCPA Annual Meeting and Members Tournament - Austin - May 31st
TCPA Mission Statement
The Texas Card Players Association seeks to promote and encourage the expansion of all forms of poker, a game of skill, in Texas. We seek quality poker to be played in a safe, legal setting at all levels.
Membership List & Social Network |
Member Profile (Planned) |
Invitation to TCPA Card Room and Other Events |
Invitation/Notification of Other Card Room Events |
Comprehensive Compendium of Web Sites for Public Poker in Texas |
Ability to actually sign up for tournaments sponsored by TCPA |
Poker Regulation
Under current law exactly when
it is legal to play poker and when it is not is the question. What is
prosecuted in one county is not prosecuted in another county. No person
in Texas has ever been convicted of playing poker. Did you ever wonder
why? Because playing poker, even if it is for big money is not illegal.
What is illegal is to profit in anyway from the playing of poker
The Texas Card Players Association
believes that the law is often misunderstood. There is no reason
to prosecute an individual for just playing poker. There are however
county and district attorneys who will prosecute individuals for running
a game. This is often a frustrating process for both the prosecution
and the person charged. If the person charged wanted a trial
by jury most, if not all ,district attorneys would plea bargain the
charge to just a simple fine.
It has been estimated that
there are 500 illegal games in Texas every night of the week. Players
are robbed, shot, intimidated and subject to arrest. Many of these hijacking
go unreported to law enforcement because the game is clearly illegal.
What can
you do about this?
The Texas Card Players Association
members believe it is time to bring Texas into the 21st century
and pass regulations for this popular game that will allow poker to
be played in a safe and legal environment. To provide such
safe places to play someone needs to able to operate for a reasonable
profit while paying a reasonable tax to the state for the privilege.
In the upcoming 2009 legislative
session The Texas Card Players Association will sponsor a bill that
is simple to understand, easy to prosecute violators, and beneficial
to Texas, the players and the owners. This bill will be known as the
Private Poker Club Act of 2009. The key points are:
- Race and Dog Tracks can have poker;
- Bars and Restaurants can have poker;
- Native American Tribes can have poker gaming on tribal lands;
- Allow charitable poker tournaments benefiting certain charities;
- Regulate poker gaming;
- Tax poker gaming.
- Secure environment
- Private Poker Clubs
Not much of the above is new.
HB 3186 offered during the 2007 legislative session covered many of
these key points. The Texas Card Players Association supported HB 3186.
However, we at TCPA believe
that a member only Private Poker Club, with a 24 hour waiting period,
is best for Texas. Like any private club you cannot just walk-in and
start participating. Our bill will allow wide latitude for owners to
select their members and monitor their play.
The Texas Card Players Association
is a non-profit grassroots effort by poker players like yourself. We
have no “big money” bankrolling us. Only your membership dues and
volunteer efforts will make this happen. Also the Board of Directors
serves without pay.
Won’t you join in our effort to get poker expanded and regulated?
How Can You Help ?
You can assist by...
- Become a TCPA member
- Complete A Petition Authorization Sign Up Form
- Contact your representative.
| Forum: TCPA Forum Discussion (Total 8 Messages) | |
| View Mode : full | preview | titles | refresh |
| first | prev | next | last |
| |||||
| |||||
| |||||
| |||||
| |||||
| |||||
| |||||
|
