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Doug Poker, the co-owner of the now shuttered Austin, Texas-area Lodge Card Club, returned to the spotlight Tuesday evening doing what he does best, criticizing others in the poker community.
He does so after the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) raided the Round Rock-based poker club he co-owns with two other individuals on March 10.
And, as one might expect, it grew ugly mighty quick on the social media forum X.
Doug Polk: "The Truth About The Lodge Raid and Closure"
As a recap, the TABC affidavit included the following:
- Texas Penal Code 71.02(a) - ENGAGING IN ORGANIZED CRIMINAL ACTIVITY
- Texas Penal Code 34.02 - MONEY LAUNDERING
- Texas Penal Code 47.03 - PROMOTION OF GAMBLING
- Texas Penal Code 47.04 - KEEPING A GAMBLING PLACE
- Texas Penal Code 47.06 - POSSESSION OF GAMBLING DEVICE, EQUIPMENT OR PARAPHERNALIA
Polk came forward to offer an update, saying "this is a very hard video to make".
He discusses the grey area that allows poker clubs to operate in Texas while specifically singling out some rooms in Harris County (home to Houston) that he claims are not playing by the rule.
Polk even goes on to discuss how he and his partners worked to improve legislation and "bad actors would also be removed from the space".
But the IRS involvement suggests there is more here than meets the eye.
The Truth About the Lodge Austin Raid: https://t.co/VTXVxzUSh8
— Doug Polk (Code Doug) (@DougPolkVids) March 31, 2026
Poker Community Reacts to Video
Rounder Life recapped by offering another interpretation of Polk's interpretation, so to speak.
Key Takeaways:
Doug Polk explained his interpretation of what constitutes an economic benefit.
“As for economic benefit, really what that has boiled down to is that there cannot be an economic benefit within the hand itself.”
The TABC may have a different opinion on what constitutes an economic benefit and whether it has to occur “within the hand itself.”
For instance, the money the Lodge received from tournament entry fees does not occur during a poker hand. The possible “misinterpretation” involves an estimated hundreds of thousands of dollars in entry fees.
Polk also revealed, “We even had an IRS refund check for $435,000 that was also taken…”
And Jesse Martin summed it up this way:
"Weird comment distancing from firing employees. Weird comments about how he is “just an investor”. Weird shade thrown at multiple Texas card rooms for doing illegal or grey area stuff. Weird alluding to Feldman money laundering (I think?). AMAZING that you’re guaranteeing funds."
R.E.W.WVU writes:
"Doug is in the business fight of his life yet he spends time calling out 1/2 the card rooms for business irregularities. Do you know who this pisses off ? The very people investigating his card room lol. You just embarrassed the very people from whom you need the most grace . You opened the video with a nonchalant poker room trying their best to be incognito . Fast Forward to your place , bells , whistles, flaunting a business ( and more importantly- model ) that raise the ire of important people. This is a 22 min cry for help . I want to know what law firm allegedly allowed for this th be aired . It’s malpractice 101 ".
Still others supported Polk's notion that competing card rooms in the state do not always play by the rules and questioned why The Lodge is being singled out.
Shadow3456 writes:
"I am a professional poker player that has been in Austin TX since Christmas. I have primarily played at the lodge in the last 3 months (80% LODGE, 20% TCH). Being that ive seen cardrooms here that have literal Baccarat tables, along with others with 15-20 slot machines…its insane to me that The Lodge is being targeting for claims of illegal gambling. From the floorstaff to the dealers, the club is ran professionally. I say this having played in a tribal casino for the last 4 years (with a gaming board and regulation). I hurt for the staff and I hurt for you Doug and what your having to go through. I want to thank you for providing an environment that has given me the ability to change the trajectory of my life. Because of the LODGE ive had the confidence to pursue poker fulltime and leave a situation I had no hope of getting out of. This is sickening to watch playout. I will support the LODGE when it reopens. Good luck Doug."
In the end, a lot of good people were left without jobs, as one parent of a Lodge employee noted:
"Thank you clearing up a lot of confusion regarding this raid. My son worked at The Lodge and I happened to be in town visiting when he received the news that he no longer had a job. I also know a few other individuals that worked there. It was a very sad time and my heart ached for all of them. The one subject that came up time and again was that they loved working at The Lodge and would return in a heartbeat if given the opportunity. I wish The Lodge all the best during this process and hope you will be able to return even better than before!"
- Chris Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher
