There’s no clear path on whether the city will allow the rooms to operate
After several years of policy changes and legal battles, Dallas city officials are considering new regulations to legalize poker clubs in the city. With clubs appearing all across the state in recent years and many questioning their legality, officials may be looking to welcome the trend to some extent.
The city council is urging officials to settle the controversy and help end costly legal fights. However, there is still some opposition, and approving a proposal to accept poker clubs is far from certain.
“The Zoning Ordinance Advisory Committee was briefed on the resulting proposal last week and forwarded it to the City Plan Commission with a recommendation against adoption,” the Dallas Morning News recently documented in an editorial that lobbied against the proposal.
The City Plan Commission may also deny the recommendation, but the city council will make the final decision on whether poker should be approved or players will be banned within the city limits.
The recent proposal was introduced after Councilman Chad West requested in December that the city create a new land zoning category for private gaming clubs offering poker.
“A private game club means a private place that is only open to its members that primarily offers competitive gaming facilities including games of skill such as ax throwing, darts, or shuffleboard,” said Dallas interim chief of general counsel Bertram Vandenberg at a city council session. “Any games played with cards, dice, balls, or any other gambling device as defined in the Texas Penal Code Chapter 47 are allowed only as a single accessory use.”
Many gaming law experts say the question of whether poker clubs are actually legal under state law is still open. However, Texas continues to allow the poker industry to thrive.
Emma Rodriguez is the Proofreader at the Big Blind, with seven years of experience and five years in online gambling. She plays a crucial role in maintaining content quality by ensuring error-free, reader-friendly information about the gambling industry.
