A vote this week could pave the way for Polk to expand his poker presence in the state
Poker player and entrepreneur Doug Polk has already established his presence in the Texas poker scene with The Lodge Card Club, the largest poker room in Texas in Round Rock. However, he’s now looking to expand his business to other cities within the state.
Polk has been looking at his options and is exploring locations outside the Austin metro area, such as Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio. Polk previously considered other states but has concluded that staying within Texas is the most viable option.
If you have ties to Farmers Branch please contact me directly.
If you are not from the area please stay home, I dont want non DFW people coming out to support this.
If you have a strong argument for poker in that location, sign up to speak.
– It starts at 6, arrive early.
— Doug Polk (@DougPolkVids) May 5, 2024
The city council in Farmers Branch, a northern suburb of Dallas, will vote on May 7 on whether to permit card rooms. If the vote is favorable, Polk would then need to apply for a business license to operate at the proposed location near the Dallas North Tollway, an industrial area with about 35,000 residents.
Texas has some of the strictest anti-gambling laws in the country. However, a loophole in Texas Penal Code 47.01 makes it possible to operate poker rooms as long as they don’t collect a rake. Card rooms make up for this by charging membership fees.
Polk is prepared for resistance when he appears before the city council for the second time. On April 8, he highlighted the benefits of a Farmers Branch poker room to council members, including job creation, tax revenue, and area revitalization.
If the vote doesn’t go in his favor, Polk says he’ll continue exploring other options. The three-time WSOP bracelet winner also seeks support from local poker players, whom he encourages to attend Tuesday’s city council meeting.
