The legality of social poker clubs in Texas is again a legislative topic in 2025, with bills for and against the clubs' existence filed by lawmakers in recent weeks.
On the side of making social poker clubs officially legal under Texas's gambling statutes is Texas House Bill 2996, which was introduced by long-time poker supporter State Rep. Ryan Guillen. Guillen's HB2996 was filed roughly one month ago, and it offers similar language and structure to a measure Guillen offered in 2023.
On the other side, with the intent of making social poker clubs specifically illegal in Texas, is Texas House Bill 2154, which was offered in late January by State Rep. Matthew Shaheen. The competing bills have received little attention so far, resting with the primary Texas House body until last week, when Shaheen's HB2154 received its initial reading before the full House.
Shaheen's bill was then assigned to the House Licensing & Administrative Procedures Committee, where it has yet to be picked up for consideration. Guillen's bill, submitted three weeks after Shaheen's, is also likely to head to the Licensing and Administrative committee.
Texas social poker swims between two sides of topic
The wide split between a ban and formal approval is where Texas' many dozens of social-poker clubs have operated for numerous years. Despite a large handful of rooms being raided and closed by local and county authorities, most of Texas's poker clubs have operated without clear legal guidance or impedence, many of them quite profitably.
The status quo remained unchanged in 2023, the last time the topic received legislative consideration, when none of that year's array of measures became law. The stalemate was largely a win for the rooms, which for the most part were able to continue operating.
