A Texas City Council Meeting denied Doug Polk’s bid to bring poker to a new part of Texas yesterday. The Farmers Branch City Council did not accept that poker could be played at a new location that the Polk chose as a potential poker room. Aiming to bring the greatest card game on Earth to an area 15 minutes from the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Polk’s plans have been handed a setback instead.

Lodge Owner Denied by Farmers Branch

Doug Polk doesn’t often lose, in poker or at life. The three-time WSOP bracelet winner, creator of Upswing Poker and part-owner of The Lodge Card Club had hoped to bring poker to the Dallas North Tollway area in Texas too. Sadly for him and his many supporters, that bid has been turned down.

Tuesday saw the Farmers Branch City Council vote against card rooms being permitted in the first ring suburb of Dallas known colloquially as the ‘City in the Park’. It was no walk in the park for Polk and this latest setback to expansion plans will frustrate him but he lives to fight another day.

The Texas Penal Code 47.01 states that poker rooms are legal as long as rake isn’t collected (no cheap cracks about More Rake Being Better now). The Lodge Card Club circumvent that law by charging a membership and ‘seat’ fee, so no rake is taken from pots and players get to play.

Texas is a highly religious belt of America and as such, City Council members around the country often argue passionately against poker with council members in Texas fighting tooth and nail to shut down venues such as the Texas Card House. Town residents often cite the same concerns, which center around gambling being a negative influence on locals and in particular patrons, with casinos in the area joining forces with councils to keep the humble poker cardrooms that are the heartbeat of the game in the United States out of operation.

Polk’s Passion for Poker

“Some of the best people I have met in my life are poker players.”

Doug Polk cut the figure of a politician in the City Council meeting. Long a fan of news and current affairs – remember the segue from poker skits into current event reaction? – Polk has a polished style and perfected patter. Polk addressed the meeting, speaking passionately in advocation of poker, stating that his idea to being ‘the largest poker room in Texas’ to the area was a venerable one.

“There are card players all over your city,” he said. “I want to dispel the idea that this is somehow eroding the fabric of the community. This attack on poker players in general like they are bad people. I’ll tell you what, some of the best people I have met in my life are poker players. I started my career with $10 and I turned it into millions of dollars by becoming one of the best in the world. Poker gave me that opportunity, and I’m tired of people attacking poker players like they’re some kind of lowlifes.”

Polk was backed by players in the area such as one called Marcus who spoke up for the poker room plans, stating that he travels by bus every day to play poker elsewhere.

“That costs money, and I’d like it to be here locally. I know a lot of people here, they see movies where you go into this dark poker room or whatever, but it’s not like that. If any of y’all went into Texas Card House, y’all would see that everyone is friendly, nice and it’s a fun environment.”

The plans, however, were also argued against equally vociferously, with one resident, Sharon Davis, saying: “I like to play poker, too. But that doesn’t mean I want it in my city.”

Setting aside Ms Davis’ obvious desire to travel in order to play her poker, another resident, Chris Davis (Yes, we spotted it; no, we’re not sure), agreed with her.

“I don’t think card houses are a good alignment with the values that we have as a city,” he said. “I came to Farmers Branch because it was a family-oriented city.”

Were Mr and Mrs Davis in the same family home game? We didn’t find that information out. But clearly, if they were, they weren’t considering the dichotomy of what they were saying.

Hostility and Empathy

Plenty of the Farmers Branch meeting members went further, calling out Polk directly as they stoically refused to accept any benefits – economical or otherwise – of poker being brought to their town.

“Mr. Doug Polk, although you’re a nice man, you can pack your bags and go home,” said one lady, possibly auditioning for a part in the next Stephen King movie.

In the end, Farmers Branch City Council members voted against Polk by a landslide of 4 to 1. Polk was informed that he could come back and roll the dice, to resubmit his request at a later time.

“[I] want to thank everyone that came out tonight. Lots of people came and spoke I appreciate supporting our concept. I also recognize lots of people who spoke against [what] we’re trying to do [want] what’s best for their town. Overall they were respectful. Lots of great people in Farmers Branch.”

When asked directly on Twitter if poker is legal in Austin, Texas, Polk was happy to supply the official answer.

“Gambling in Texas is absolutely [legal] if it meets three criteria,” he said. “There is debate as to the definitions of those criteria.”

That debate will go on and Polk will no doubt be back. Will Texans hailing from one of the formative hubs of the great game, change their mind?

We wouldn’t be pushing all our chips over the line betting either way.

Watch the Farmers Branch City Council meeting in full here: