Houston Police Raid Illegal Poker Room

HOUSTON, TX - October 5, 2007 - Continuing Texas law enforcement's trend of busting up what are considered to be illegal poker games, the Houston Police Department Vice Division earlier this week raided The Palms poker room.

A total of 13 people were taken to jail late Wednesday evening, charged by the Houston DA with engaging in organized crime. Those arrested were reportedly the dealers and operators of the games. Many others, the players, were not arrested, and instead were issued a subpeona to appear in court at a later date.

Houston Police had reportedly been undercover, investigating the poker room for more than a month. Late Wednesday night, that investigation came to a head as HPD and SWAT invaded the room.

SWAT was reportedly necessary due to the precautions taken by the poker room to prevent unwanted individuals from gaining access, including locks on the door, and a special card needed to gain entry. Even a private security firm had been employed by the room to watch the club from the outside.

Local Houston television station, KHOU, was on scene as the bust happened, capturing video not only of the arrests that would ensue, but also of the players leaving the premises with citations in hand and even the inside of the poker room itself. (Click here to see their news broadcast.)

KHOU was informed by HPD that the income earned by the operators of the game amounted to at least $10,000 a night, but it is unknown if that amount is the total money in play, or the amount taken in rake. The poker room housed 14 poker tables, and though all cash on the premises was seized by HPD, the exact amount obtained is unknown.

HPD hinted that this may be only the first in a series of similar busts, claiming that The Palms is far from the only such club in the city of Houston, and that those engaging in illegal poker activities may be playing with an undercover police officer.

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