"openly illegal" clubs?

[pipster]

How can clubs have openly advertised, any admitted cash game clubs in states (like Georgia) who don't allow it. There is a club in Atlanta with a webpage, and has cash tournaments and ring games. The webpage has pictures, names, address, etc as well as results. It would seem that since poker isn't legal in Atlanta that they would be shut down in no time.

They call it a "Club" so does that make it legal? How do they do it? Is it "legal" in some way I can't find?

[TomBrooks]

I don't think it's wise to discuss that in any great detail on a public forum, despite the fact that things that are "illegal" are often only so because a small group of persons with excessive and often unwarranted power made some unasked for and unwelcome decisions about how the rest of the populace should conform to their arbitrary concepts of morality and conduct.

Probably because this abuse of power is widely recognized for what it is, enforcement officials are wont to concentrate their efforts on matters that most citizens actually would like them to, such as investigating an activity wherein somebody actually harmed another person against their will.

[pipster]

Considering they have a public webpage, advertise regularly in various other newsgroups, mailing lists, message boards. I would say they are rather "open" with their endeavor. I emailed to ask "how" in a kind and considerate way... but it just seemed really wierd.

They do have one very nice setup and it would be awesome if they had found a nice loophole to get in under.

[Siegmund]

This is going to vary from place to place, and going to depend very heavily on the attitude of the local law enforcement.

Where I live, only home games are legal, but there are two cardrooms. Listed in the phone book, have signs on the street identifying them as such, etc. Mostly they deal pan, but they do run poker too.

Both rooms are very strict about no drinking/drugs. The police happily let the rooms go about their business, and basically view the rooms as doing the downtown area a favor: every unemployed native guy (sorry, but the clientele for pan is 80% native) playing cards all night long is one more unemployed native guy who is NOT getting drunk and is NOT out on the street sleeping under a cardboard box and scaring the tourists.

There is a move toward legalization - but the conditions for opening a legal cardroom under the proposed law are so strict and so expensive that "legalizing" cardrooms will be done simply to put the locally owned and operated ones out of business.

[betgo]

You can open the yellow pages and see all sorts of "escort services" and similar businesses despite the fact that prostitution is illegal almost everywhere in the US. I think it is fairly obvious why these things are tolerated.

[Jeebus]

alot of times if the house can prove they make no profit from the games they can keep them open.

[marbleman]

in the past two weeks 2 illegal (but internet advertisted clubs) in montreal were robbed.
the first was a 10/20 NL game and over 75k CDN was taken (including the patrons emptying pockets and jewerly/watches/etc). the 2nd case was several 2/5 NL tables and a club and ~12k was taken.

i think the law is the least of there worries now.

live games around here are sketchy as heck now, let's just say my rakeback is going to start paying off now.

[BigBaitsim (milo)]

My wife practiced for eight years as a defense attorney in our small town before we moved to MN in December. A few years back she asked the town's sheriff why she had never seen or heard of a prostitution case in court, when everyone knows where the prostitutes hang out. He responded something to the effect of "who's complaining?"

[shadow29]

I wouldn't go to that club if I were you.

I know the one you're talking about.

A lot of the clubs in the city have shut down due to hostile action by the police and being robbed.

[Felipe]

i stick to home games