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.

More Poker News Articles

UIGEA Delayed 6 Months in Temporary Victory for Online Poker
12am Thu Dec 3rd, 2009

Days before the December 1 deadline for implementing the UIGEA, the U.S. government announced a six-month postponement of the poorly defined anti-gambling regulations. The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Federal Reserve Board jointly released a statement moving the deadline for UIGEA compliance to June 1, 2010.

Fabrice Soulier Joins Everest Poker's Pro Roster
12am Thu Nov 26th, 2009

To further strengthen its support for French poker in anticipation of the opening of that market, Everest Poker has signed renowned French poker pro Fabrice Soulier as its latest ambassador.

HHPT Co-Sponsors Bayou Poker Challenge Ladies Event Dec. 20
12am Wed Nov 25th, 2009

The HighHeelsPokerTour (HHPT), the first all women's poker tour launched on the East coast, will wrap up their 2009 schedule at Harrah's New Orleans on December 20th where they will co-sponsor the Ladies Event #14 no-limit Hold'em at 12 pm.

OPPAGA Reports on Florida's Online Poker Options
12am Tue Nov 24th, 2009

Given that UIGEA permits individual states to regulate online poker, the Florida Legislature's Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) published a report this week presenting three options available to Florida State lawmakers in order to protect consumers from unlawful internet poker: regulate it, prohibit it, or carry on with the status quo pending federal legislation.

BC Poker Champion Arrested, Charged with Manslaughter
12am Tue Nov 24th, 2009

Just two days after taking down the BC Poker Championships Main Event, Sophon Sek of Cloverdale, BC, was arrested in connection with one of the most storied crimes in the Province's history.

Local Businessman Bags European Poker Tour Vilamoura Bling
12am Sun Nov 22nd, 2009

The European Poker Tour rolled into the Casino Vilamoura last week, instantly generating the richest poker prize pool in the nation of Portugal's history.

Keikoan Captures Harvey's Lake Tahoe WSOPC Championship
12am Thu Nov 19th, 2009

This week marked the finale of the biggest annual tournament series in Northern Nevada, the WSOP Circuit championship at Harvey's Lake Tahoe. While the Main Event saw only a modest turnout, it did boast of a tough final table, and a WSOP bracelet owner as the eventual champion.

WSOP Main Event Champ Joe Cada to Appear on Letterman
12am Wed Nov 18th, 2009

The poker world will receive some late night attention tonight as "The Kid" Joe Cada, the youngest champion in the four decade history of the World Series of Poker Main Event, takes a seat next to embattled talk show host David Letterman.

First Korean Champ of Asia Pacific Poker Tour Crowned in Cebu
12am Tue Nov 17th, 2009

Another stop on the Asia Pacific Poker Tour is in the books, this time it's the APPT Cebu in the Philippines, and for the very first time a Korean player has come out on top.

Pollack Done as Commish of World Series of Poker
12am Sat Nov 14th, 2009

Just three days after crowning Joe Cada as the 2009 Main Event champion, officially closing the special 40th anniversary run of the World Series of Poker, Jeffrey Pollack has resigned his post as Commissioner of the WSOP.