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.

 

Perks of Membership

 

Poker Regulation

Under current law it is unclear exactly when it is legal to play poker and when it is not. What is prosecuted in one county is not prosecuted in another county, and yet no person in Texas has ever been convicted of playing poker. This is because playing poker, even for large sums, is not illegal. What is illegal is to charge players in any way to be part of a poker game (an hourly fee or "raking" each pot, etc).

The Texas Card Players Association believes that this law is often misunderstood. There is no reason to prosecute an individual who is merely playing poker in a legal (unraked) game. However, there are county and district attorneys who will prosecute individuals for running a game. This is an often frustrating process for both the prosecutors and the person charged. If the poker player wants a trial by jury most if not all district attorneys will 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 can be robbed, shot, intimidated and subject to arrest. Many of these "hijackings" go unreported to law enforcement because the game is clearly illegal (ie raked). This hurts everyone but the real criminals, including the State who could be collecting a fair tax from these games while protecting its citizens at the same time.

 

What can you do about this?

The Texas Card Players Association members believe it is time to bring Texas into the Twenty-First Century by passing regulations for this very popular game, laws that will allow poker to be played in a safe and legal environment. To provide such safe places to play, operators of poker games need to able to run a game 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, that makes it easy to prosecute violators, and that is beneficial to the state of Texas as well as the players and the owners. This bill will be known as the Private Poker Club Act of 2009. The key points are:

1. Race and Dog Tracks can have poker
2. Bars and Restaurants can have poker
3. Native American Tribes can have poker gaming on tribal lands
4. Charitable poker tournaments benefiting certain charities will be legal.
5. Poker gaming will be regulated.
6. Poker gaming will be taxed.
7. A secure environment will be provided for playing poker.
8. Private Poker Clubs will be legal and regulated.

Few of these points are 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 members-only Private Poker Club, with a minimum 24-hour waiting period, would be best for Texas. Like any private club you will not be able to just walk-in and begin playing. Our bill will allow fair 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. Our Board of Directors serves without pay. We are all joined in the desire to take the danger out of playing illegally and replace it with the safe and legal environment that poker, long one of America's most popular games, deserves.

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.

 

 

Have questions?