The Lodge Card Club shuts down, 200 Texans out of work
The Lodge Card Club in Round Rock, Texas has shut down indefinitely and laid off its entire workforce following a law enforcement raid and mounting legal pressure, marking one of the most high-profile actions against a U.S. poker room in recent years.
The club, co-owned by prominent poker figures Doug Polk, Andrew Neeme and Brad Owen, has remained closed since March 10 when the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission seized assets and evidence.
In an email to staff, co-owner Jason Levin confirmed the closure “for the foreseeable future,” citing legal risks tied to the club’s operating model.
“While no charges have been brought… the Williamson County District Attorney’s office has made clear to our attorneys that they believe The Lodge’s current business model does not comply with Texas law, he said,
“For this reason, we cannot re-open… Doing so would run the risk that authorities might once again raid The Lodge, seize more cash and assets, and potentially make arrests.
“Because we have not been given any indication of when the investigation will conclude, we have no other viable path forward at this time.”
The investigation reportedly centres on alleged illegal gambling, money laundering and organised criminal activity, with $1.35 million in transactions flagged.
The case intensifies scrutiny on Texas’ “social poker club” model, long operating in a legal grey area.
Levin, who was a driving force in founding The Lodge Card Club also acknowledged the staff that are losing their jobs, with the entrepreneur having played a hands-on role in the business since its inception in 2017.
“There are no words that fully capture how much this hurts—not just as a business decision, but on a human level,” he said.
“I am deeply grateful for everything you’ve given, and I will carry that with me always. You didn’t just show up to work—you built something that mattered.”
Texas has some of the strictest gambling laws in the United States, with both land-based poker and online poker banned, although there is a growing push to regulate wagering given the amount of money filtering to offshore illegal gambling sites.
