Questions on opening a poker room

[other1]

I'm not sure why you think a bus is a badd idea. It would solve many of the concerns listed above. If the club itself is secure, and you take a bus door to door back to the US side, I would think most people would feel safe.

I don't think anything about a bus would be illegal. You can go to where something is legal and do it and then return. If I take a plane to Vegas and gamble I'm not breaking the law back home.

[Bremen]

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thanks Armchair, and others who have responded so far. I think the most enlightening part is the perception of mexico and the fact that people might not feel safe comming over, because they will be shot by gang members, or robbed by the police. *sigh*


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This will definitly be your biggest problem. It dosn't have to happen very often for everyone to hear about it. NPR carried a story detailing the horrors of auto wrecks in Mexico awhile ago. Needless to say we very rarely hear how children play in the street in Mexico... well unless one got abducted.

[captswifty]

[ QUOTE ]
thanks Armchair, and others who have responded so far. I think the most enlightening part is the perception of mexico and the fact that people might not feel safe comming over, because they will be shot by gang members, or robbed by the police. *sigh*

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What about buying/selling the poker chips on the US side of the border? Just have a building with a cashier's cage in it where you would board the bus. That way, the people who are uncomfortable carrying cash across the border wouldn't have to.

I also think people are way too afraid of Mexico. I like the idea.

[Guthrie]

I wouldn't go to Mexico unless I was part of a heavily-armed invasion force.

[Bulbarainey]

you would have to make kickbacks to officials... mexico is corrupt as can be, everyone is out to get you there, but one day, TJ will be the greatest city ever!

[RydenStoompala]

If it is going to be legal, why not start in the Mayan Riviera? Why open a card room in a border town where 80% of the population would kill you for bus fare?

If you do open a room in the nice tourist area, the local politicos and cops will give you the same treatment you would get where you are. Pay up or leave.

The big gaming corporations have a chance to make some money operating hand-in-hand with the politicians on the big casinos that will probably arrive soon. The local card room operators will probably be shot to pieces.

If you're looking for investors, I would start with Hells Angels.

[RickyG]

I like this idea, but maybe not chips. It could be done with a membership card or something, A casino debit card. You can load it up with as much money as you want on the american side, and use it to buy chips at the poker room.

[KenProspero]

Ok, off the top of my head.

1. You need a good professional casino manager, to think of the million things we're missing.

2. you need good professional floor managers.

3. Even if Poker is legal, you need an army of lawyers to comply with the regulations that will probably govern this.

4. What are the capital requirements?

5. Are you going to offer credit? You'll need a credit manager then.

6. I hate to ask this question, but are there Political issues here (will you need to be connected to get a license).

There's probably a million things we're not thinking of, but most of all, I think you need a great deal of capital to make this fly.

[InkyWretch]

I wouldn't even think of trying to open a Mexican card room. The bribes alone would bankrupt you...

NUEVO LAREDO, Mexico (AP) — Alejandro Dominguez was the only person brave enough to apply for the job as police chief of this lawless border city on the border with Texas.
He took office Wednesday afternoon, declaring he wasn’t afraid of anything. Shortly after nightfall, he was dead, gunned down by assailants in this embattled city that is the front line in a bloody turf battle between Mexico’s two main drug gangs.
Early Thursday, most city officials nervously directed all questions to Mayor Daniel Pena, who was holding private meetings and hadn’t made a public appearance. Some said they didn’t want their names appearing in the media.
Councilman Joaquim Trevino called on Fox to do more, two months after the federal government sent in 700 soldiers and federal agents.
“The reality is that there isn’t anyone who wants this job,” he said.
Only a few people ventured out into the streets, and a handful of federal authorities were seen on routine patrols.

[tubalkain]

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I'm not sure why you think a bus is a badd idea. It would solve many of the concerns listed above. If the club itself is secure, and you take a bus door to door back to the US side, I would think most people would feel safe.

I don't think anything about a bus would be illegal. You can go to where something is legal and do it and then return. If I take a plane to Vegas and gamble I'm not breaking the law back home.

[/ QUOTE ]

Your door to door route takes a severe bender the moment this bus that's packed with Americans carrying cash crosses the border and gets targeted by the gangs or the police. I can't see how you'd make any money after you're done bribing the gangs and the cops.

Besides, if you're handling the cash on the US side, how the Hell would the locals play? I'd wager a significant fraction of them would not be allowed across the border to the cage building.