Texas’s The Lodge Closes Indefinitely, Staff Laid Off After Raid

(AsiaGameHub) –   In a heartfelt letter emailed to employees, The Lodge Card Club in Round Rock, Texas stated it would “close indefinitely”. As a result, the card room had to lay off all its staff due to ongoing legal pressure from authorities. 

The club was first shuttered on March 10 when the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) carried out a controversial raid during which it seized various items of alleged evidence and froze assets.

“Incredibly Difficult Decision”

Well-known poker pros Doug Polk, Andrew Neeme, and Brad Owen count among the club’s owners, with Polk, Jake Abdalla, and Jason Levin serving as majority owners and Neeme and Owen as minority investors.

In what he called “the hardest message I’ve ever had to write”, Levin formally announced that the poker room would remain closed and all employees would lose their jobs. 

“While no charges have been filed, and we stand by the club’s history of operating with complete integrity and within Texas law, the Williamson County District Attorney’s Office has made it clear to our attorneys that they believe The Lodge’s current business model violates Texas law,” the letter stated.

“For this reason, we can’t reopen. Doing so would risk another raid by authorities, seizure of additional cash and assets, and possible arrests,” Levin added plainly.

Levin also noted they’d received no “indication” about when the investigation might conclude, leaving them with “no other viable path forward at this time.”

“As a result, we have no choice but to make the extremely tough decision to lay off our entire team. We hope you know how much each of you means to us, and as we hold out hope for a favorable outcome, if we’re ever able to reopen, we plan to welcome you back with open arms,” Levin reassured staff.

“You Made This Place What It Was”

“Each of you helped turn that vision into reality. From front desk staff to porters, dealers, managers, and production team, every detail, every interaction, every long day and late night combined to create something truly special. You made this place what it was—not the building, not the brand, but you,” Levin added.

The raid and subsequent closure were rooted in Texas’ gambling regulations and the “social poker club” model, which lets poker clubs operate in a gray area by offering peer-to-peer games instead of traditional gambling.

Rather than taking a cut of pots, these clubs charge either hourly seat rental fees or memberships.

PokerNews has obtained, however, an affidavit alleging the now-shuttered club is linked to several potential violations, including organized criminal activity, money laundering, and illegal gambling.

The document states approximately $1.35 million in deposits were marked as “suspicious”. The same was true for several financial transfers between business-related accounts. Additionally, the document references an undercover operation in which agents visited the club and played poker multiple times.
The investigation will continue without a clear end date. Meanwhile, The Lodge’s sister location in San Antonio remains open.