According to state law, gambling houses can operate as long as they don’t take a percentage of the pot. In 2015, Austin-born Texas hold’em poker player Sam von Kennel noticed a legal technicality that would allow him to open a gambling establishment. During the last several years, some gamblers have started using a loophole in state law to play cards for money at so-called card clubs, such as Texas Card House. The few exceptions include private gambling at home, betting on sanctioned horse and dog races, the state lottery and gambling at one of the three Indian casinos in the state. The Texas Constitution prohibits most forms of gambling. It’s a matter of skill rather than luck like blackjack or other games,” Will said. Will (his last name has been omitted to protect his privacy) started playing poker five years ago when friends introduced him to the game. On a Monday afternoon in March, Will, a 24-year-old software engineer in Austin, was relaxing during a break from a poker game at the Texas Card House in North Austin, where brightly lit rooms and affable service are a contrast to the image some people might have of a gambling establishment. Texas Card House is a private club and requires a daily, monthly or yearly membership. Texas Card House General Manager James Combs is seen on March 2, 2019.
