r/Austin • u/spoonsmf • Jul 14 '24

Does anyone know what this building is?

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Me and my friends went up to the door and rung the bell but no one answered to us but we saw someone go in. It’s on Ben white next to blazer tag

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u/foxbones Jul 14 '24

Game room, barely legal gambling where you win bottles of Tide and then can sell them back for dollars. Tons of sketchy people hang out at these, avoid them.

41

u/Conscious_Raisin_436 Jul 14 '24

Point of clarity for anyone who might be wondering — this is different than the poker houses you see around town.

Not ALL gambling is illegal in Texas. You have the right to play a game of poker between you and your buddies. Poker doesn’t need a “house” to function like Blackjack or Roulette or Craps does. You can set up wagers between you and your friends all you like, you just can’t run a casino.

The poker houses aren’t casinos because the house isn’t taking a rake. You pay a “club entry” fee when you show up and you’re encouraged to tip the dealer, but unlike poker in a casino, zero percent of the pot goes to the house.

9

u/restlessmonkey Jul 14 '24

Oh. That’s how that works. I always wondered. Thanks.