starting a cardroom
 

I've searched around the site for about a half hour, but I couldn't really find this question, other then some kid from San Diego getting laughed at for wanting to start up a casino in his living room. The opurtunity to start up a card room has presented itself to me, and I want some advice for making a go of it. Has this question been asked before? Can anybody point me towards the right topic(s) to get some answers? If not, can anybody give me some tips and advice?

Appreciate any help

Re: starting a cardroom
 

Are you trying to open a legitimate room or a backdoor game?

Vig

Re: starting a cardroom
 

Unless he's been given a license by the province, it would have to be an illegal card room.

Re: starting a cardroom
 

pretty hard to go legit in Canada. It would definately be underground

Re: starting a cardroom
 

Is there any legal way to create a business where cards can be played? Something like a pool hall, but with card tables, where there is no 'rake' but perhaps an hourly fee for using the tables? I'm asking about in the US, not Canada.

-Ray

Re: starting a cardroom
 

an hourly rate is equivalent to a rake. The house is still profiting and it is considered the same thing as a rake.

Re: starting a cardroom
 

What about creating some sort of club where it costs x dollars for membership (or a pass or to get in) to the club and then you charge for drinks and stuff (with no actual rake)?

Re: starting a cardroom
 

That just adds problems. You gotta get a liquor license for that, and you are still in the exact same boat with your game. You are making a profit from people gambling, it doesn't matter how you get that profit, wether it be from a rake or a charge at the door.

Re: starting a cardroom
 

[ QUOTE ]
Is there any legal way to create a business where cards can be played? Something like a pool hall, but with card tables, where there is no 'rake' but perhaps an hourly fee for using the tables? I'm asking about in the US, not Canada.

-Ray

[/ QUOTE ]No.

Re: starting a cardroom
 

[ QUOTE ]
What about creating some sort of club where it costs x dollars for membership (or a pass or to get in) to the club and then you charge for drinks and stuff (with no actual rake)?

[/ QUOTE ]

I am a member of the Moose, and we play poker most nights at a private club. But the small rake goes to the lodge and nobody makes a profit. There is a whole lot of leeway for a private club. What goes on there is your business.

Re: starting a cardroom
 

[ QUOTE ]
That just adds problems. You gotta get a liquor license for that, and you are still in the exact same boat with your game. You are making a profit from people gambling, it doesn't matter how you get that profit, wether it be from a rake or a charge at the door.

[/ QUOTE ]

sounds like you have everything figured out! good luck!

Re: starting a cardroom
 

In Canada, you are still making a profit from a poker game, and it is still illegal. Of course the states will have their laws set up differently. And in Canada, they do ignore the laws a certain amount, let the gray areas go to keep discourage the truly black areas from operating, but it is still ilegal.

Hopefully that makes sense, sorry if it doesn't, I'm sleep deprived.

Re: starting a cardroom
 

I've thought about this as well, but i would add a small camera in the poker table so that I could know everyones cards.

Re: starting a cardroom
 

On a smaller scale ( very small- like you know everyone who comes into the room already and keep it tight) its no problem legal or not but you won't make enough money to make it worthwhile, probably loose money really. On a larger scale, the law is only a small percentage of your problems. The larger problems which are numerous and probably more dangerous will bring the heat down on you. This is at least true in the states.

Re: starting a cardroom
 

On the surface, starting a cardroom looks like a killer way to make some dough. After all, you're the only one guaranteed to make $$ every night. In reality, it's alot of time/work/headaches/start up $ for a small amount of profit. Given that it may be illegal, there are still lots of other things to consider. IMHO you need to find a location outside of where you live and that means at least some amount of rent. Now you gotta find customers (cause after paying you rake for a month all your friends are gonna find some other place to play). This is alot harder than I thought it would be when I started a room. Believe it or not, alot of the people that play underground are very loyal to the room where they play and it's near impossible to get them to change. It's a Catch-22 cause you need to almost advertise your place but you don't want the whole planet knowing what's going on either.

Re: starting a cardroom
 

there's a really good diary of some guys in the UK starting a cardroom on the blondepoker forum

http://blondepoker.com/forum/index.php?topic=3985.0

a very long read but pretty honest and insightful.

If the link doesn't work try to find the post called "Dusk till Dawn" Poker Club In Nottingham Diary (by Rob Yong) in the forum