Does anyone have any knowledge of how to open a legally functioning poker room?

Question

There have been a lot of poker rooms popping up within a 50 mile radius of my home town lately, but none yet within my city limits. I have a building available to me and a partner that is ready to help invest in startup costs of a small business with me. So far we have been most interested in poker rooms. I'm just wondering if anyone has any idea as to how they are legally functioning since it is technically illegal to play poker for money. The poker rooms that I'm describing that are located around my city sell chips and play cash games only at limits of $2/4 up to $5/10 blinds. Any information that you have to help me on the way to my business venture will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!

Answer 1

The laws differentiate, depending on where you live. If I were you, I would go to one of the other poker rooms and casually ask how it is that they legally operate, and see what kind of information you can get from them. Then, I would look into the laws of your particular city - why is it that you have "a lot of poker rooms popping up" all around you, but none in your town? Maybe there is a city ordinance that prevents it?

Good luck - such a venture could be a profitable one, in that your employee costs should be low (since the dealers would probably work mainly for tips) and the amount of money you make is completely dependent on the amount of hands dealt (as opposed to other casino games, which puts the player against the house).