Clint Moneymaker Returns to Reopened Lodge
Clint Moneymaker, son of 2003 WSOP Main Event champion Chris Moneymaker, played the first public cash game session at the Lodge Card Club yesterday evening, marking the Texas poker room’s unofficial reopening after state authorities dropped all charges related to the April money laundering investigation.
The younger Moneymaker tweeted a photo from inside the room at 7:23 PM local time, showing a packed $1/$3 no-limit hold’em table. “Feels good to be back,” he wrote, adding that the atmosphere was “electric” as regular players returned to what had been Austin’s busiest card room before the raid.
A Swift Resolution
It’s been quite the whirlwind for the Lodge.
DougPolk announced Tuesday morning that prosecutors had dropped all charges against him, his business partners, and the establishment itself. The decision came after what sources describe as intensive negotiations between Lodge attorneys and the Travis County District Attorney’s office.
Texas Department of Public Safety officials initially seized over $2 million in cash and all gaming equipment during the April 15 raid. Court documents filed last week indicate all funds and property will be returned within 30 days. Several Lodge employees told me yesterday the poker tables and chips were already being reinstalled.
Brad Owen, co-owner and popular vlogger, confirmed on social media that they’re targeting a full reopening by May 10. “We’re working around the clock to get everything back to normal,” he posted on X. The room plans to honor all player balances and tournament tickets from before the closure.
Texas Poker’s Uncertain Future
The Lodge situation highlights the ongoing tilt between Texas card rooms and state authorities.
While poker rooms operate legally under the state’s social gambling exemptions, the business model - charging hourly seat fees rather than taking rake - continues to draw scrutiny. The Lodge raid marked the third major action against a Texas poker establishment in the past eighteen months.
“Everyone’s just exhausted by the uncertainty,” one dealer told me last night, requesting anonymity. She’d worked at the Lodge for three years before the raid. “You never know if you’re gonna have a job tomorrow.”
Several other Texas rooms have reportedly beefed up their legal compliance teams since the Lodge raid. The Texas Card House in Austin hired a former state prosecutor as their compliance director last week. Prime Social in Houston announced they’re implementing new cash handling procedures.
Moving Forward
The Lodge appears determined to put the controversy behind them. Management announced a series of promotional tournaments for the reopening weekend, including a $100,000 guaranteed event on May 11. They’re also launching what they’re calling “Lodge 2.0” - though details remain sparse beyond promises of “enhanced player experience” and “industry-leading security protocols.”
For Clint Moneymaker and the other regulars who showed up last night, though, the changes seemed secondary to simply having their poker room back. “Same dealers, same players, same terrible coffee,” Moneymaker joked in a follow-up tweet.
The true test will come in the weeks ahead. Sources within the Austin poker community suggest several players moved their action to other rooms during the closure and might not return immediately. The Lodge’s tournament schedule, which regularly drew fields of 500+ for major events, will be particularly watched.
Poker rooms in Texas exist in a grey area that grows greyer by the month. But for now, at least, the state’s largest card room is dealing again. And if last night’s turnout is any indication, Texas players are ready to look past the drama and get back to the felt.
