On Tuesday, March 10th, state police and the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) descended on The Lodge Card Club. 16 hours after the final card in the Lodge Championship Series Main Event was dealt, law enforcement showed up. They weren't there to play poker.

Co-owner Doug Polk, who wasn't on-site during the raid, initially told reporters he was flying blind, waiting for legal clarity before speaking out. Things haven't become much clearer yet. But for a high-profile poker establishment like The Lodge, we're expecting that clarity any day now.

Let's run through the events and give you the latest update on The Lodge's situation with the TABC.

Part 1: The Lodge Gets Raided

The March 10th raid on The Lodge must have felt like a Hollywood movie scene was unfolding. Players grinding through the quiet Tuesday hours probably lost their stoic poker faces quickly as a mixture of state police officers and Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission entered the card room.

According to reports from the floor, patrons were told to take their chips home and wait for a reopening that has no clear date.

Players on Reddit told their own stories about what went down that day:

  • "Employees I am still friends with who work there are saying that they believe money laundering or sex trafficking. But no one has any legitimate proof of either yet."
  • "I was on my way to the Lodge card club in Austin to play some poker. When I got out of my car though, I was suddenly swarmed by other poker players begging me to cash them out?"
  • "A friend is texting with someone who was still there. They said it was raided by TABC, and they aren’t allowing people to cash their chips out."
  • "They told the players to bring the chips home. The assumption being they could bring them back when they open up again. Tournament players were told (by staff – not police) they’d be refunded with an entry later."

Some speculated that serving underage players alcohol could be the reason.

Other early speculation leaned toward a liquor license dispute (given the TABC’s involvement), but the agency has since confirmed a much heavier hand.

Part 2: Revelations & Frozen Assets

Suspicions of money laundering and illegal gambling. This is the reasoning behind raiding The Lodge, according to TABC Director of Communications Chris Porter, the agency’s Financial Crimes Unit, backed by the IRS and the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office.

In the wake of that raid, law enforcement has effectively put the club into a medically induced coma. All assets and bank accounts have been frozen. No one is getting paid, and no one is playing, for an unknown amount of time.

For the 200+ employees who work the floor, the bars, and the cages, the situation is dire. The Lodge's latest statement acknowledges the human cost, noting that staff members are suddenly without income and players are left holding chips and tournament payouts they can’t cash.

Polk has since broken his silence:

"I have personally guaranteed that all player funds will be safe as this witch hunt from TABC plays out."

On March 11, Doug tweeted out, " I am waiting on some additional information, but I will make an in depth statement within the next day about what is going on with the lodge."

No statement has been made yet.

On Twitter, there's plenty of speculation about the real reasons for the raid. Some say that the TABC is indeed on a witch hunt to crack down on perceived lawlessness. Others circulated an image of an expired liquor license from 2024, but it's not clear if the registry website is up to date or if the license truly did expire.

While Doug remained tight-lipped (probably at his lawyer's request), The Lodge made a statement on Facebook:

We know our loyal staff, members, and followers have been anxiously waiting for an update regarding the recent events that led to the closure of the club. We recognize that the closure has had a serious impact for many. More than 200 staff members rely on The Lodge for their livelihoods, and many of our members have funds tied up in chips or pending tournament payouts. We understand the concern and frustration and we want everyone to know that it is not being taken lightly.

As much as we would like to provide a detailed update, we are unable to do so at this time because, despite our legal team’s best efforts to obtain additional information from the authorities, very little information has been made available.

What we do know is that no charges have been filed, and we remain committed to cooperating fully so that any concerns can be addressed. At the same time, we can confirm that all of the club’s assets and bank accounts have been frozen. In addition, we have been told not to re-open until the investigation concludes.

The Lodge has always taken its obligation to operate lawfully very seriously. The leadership team is committed to ensuring that The Lodge operates transparently, responsibly, and in good faith within Texas law by emphasizing strengthened oversight and continued improvement of operations.

Unfortunately, we do not know how long this process will take or when we will be allowed to operate again. We obviously believe that the longer our doors remain closed, the greater the impact becomes — not just on the business itself, but on the hundreds of staff members, vendors, partners, and community members who rely on The Lodge every day.

Your continued support of The Lodge — its traditions, its staff, and the community that exists inside these walls — means the world to us. We are upset and frustrated by the disruption this has caused and remain hopeful that we will be able to work constructively and with the authorities in a very timely manner so that we can move forward and reopen our doors. All we can do at the moment is to promise to share more information as soon as we are able.

In the meantime, if The Lodge has meant something to you — as a place to play, work, or build friendships — we encourage you to share your support in the comments. Hearing from this community means more to our staff and leadership team than we can put into words.

Support on Facebook is basically unanimous, with players sympathizing for the staff and business. Twitter is far more divided.

Even Tom Dwan took a jab at Doug Polk:

As much as we all enjoy a good ol' Tom Dwan seven-deuce bluff on YouTube, it's clear that the public did not support him on this one.

Interlude: Context About The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission

If you’re looking for reasons to be skeptical of the TABC’s investigation, history offers ammunition.

The agency has a track record that ranges from bureaucratic bungling to what many describe as outright predatory harassment.

Of course, none of it proves anything about The Lodge's situation, but it's nice to have some context about the TABC.

Take the 2015–2018 Spec’s Wine, Spirits & Finer Foods debacle.

On top of trying to cancel 16 of Spec's liquor store permits, the TABC tried to slap the liquor giant with a $713 million fine over late paperwork. Administrative judges eventually laughed the agency out of court, calling the prosecution "regulatory overkill."

Let's also look at the 2017 TABC scandal, which paints a picture of high-level hypocrisy.

In 2018, TABC Director Sherry Cook decided to step down, following allegations of vacations at luxury resorts, paid for by the state's cash.

She wasn't the only one under fire. Several other top TABC officials were grilled for misusing resources, mixing vacation time with their duties, spending $10,000 in taxpayer money to send staff to Honolulu, and getting dangerously cozy with the industry they're charged with regulating.

  • A tally of 69 days' worth of state employees travelling to "exotic locations."
  • A TABC culture that Rep. Sarah Davis labeled "pay-to-play."
  • A TABC director reimbursed for travel expenses by the National Conference of State Liquor Administrators.
  • A TABC habit of keeping a "wildly inaccurate vehicle inventory” and allegedly misreporting drivers of state vehicles.

Along with Sherry Cook, at least six other TABC staff members left or were fired following this scandal. That includes the TABC's General Counsel, the Director of Internal Affairs, and Commissioner.

A bill was even filed in 2021 to abolish the TABC and transfer power to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, but it never received a hearing.

Let's get back to The Lodge now.

Part 3: No Reopening Date Yet

The most frustrating part for the owners and the players is the lack of a roadmap. Investigations at this level don't always move quickly.

The Lodge’s legal team says they are being kept in the dark, with authorities offering little more than an order to stay closed until the investigation concludes.

The timing couldn’t be worse. The raid forced the immediate cancellation of the highly anticipated WPT Lodge Wildcard event.

For now, one of the biggest card rooms in the country sits empty. The tables are silent, cameras are off, and the only thing we can confidently say is moving are the legal fees.

The Lodge claims they are cooperating fully to get the lights back on, but without a formal charge to fight, the "biggest poker room in Texas" is currently a locked building with no key in sight.

Update: The Search Warrant Revealed Online

Poker journalists managed to get their hands on the search and seizure warrant that kicked off this entire debacle at The Lodge.

Inside the 22-page document, five violations are listed.

  • Texas Penal Code 71.02(a) – ENGAGING IN ORGANIZED CRIMINAL ACTIVITY
  • Texas Penal Code 34.02 – MONEY LAUNDERING
  • Texas Penal Code 47.03 – PROMOTION OF GAMBLING
  • Texas Penal Code 47.04 – KEEPING A GAMBLING PLACE
  • Texas Penal Code 47.06 – POSSESSION OF GAMBLING DEVICE, EQUIPMENT OR PARAPHERNALIA

Judging from the suspected violations, the TABC apparently doubts the legality of The Lodge's operation. Money laundering may be a separate suspicion, or it could be a product of the illegal gambling suspicions. For example, if you're illegally selling lemon juice, the profits that you pocket from selling that lemon juice could easily be considered laundered profits.

But as you're about to learn, it's not as simple as that.

Let's talk about the suspected illegal gambling, and then the money laundering.

The "Loophole" Debate on Illegal Gambling

While gambling is technically illegal in Texas, clubs operate legally by not taking a "rake" (a percentage of the pot). Instead, they charge membership and "seat fees." This is similar to Molly's Game, if you've seen the movie. Her games were technically legal until she started collecting rake.

One undercover agent claimed "he was never asked about providing proof of, or the need to purchase a membership while inside the club."

However, local players on Reddit disputed this heavily:

Boneyg001: "This guy is a liar. Anyone playing there knows that to play cash they have to clock you into the poker atlas system. So clearly its impossible for him to sit down and play without first getting a membership."

clkou: "They have to get your membership to get into the Atlas system to get a seat. So how could he play without a membership? I have played many times at the Lodge and they are very adamant about the membership and hourly fees."

Improvcommodore: "Interesting, I moved to Austin in July of 2024 and have been playing at The Lodge regularly since. I have my membership card in my wallet, and I am asked for it at every turn. You can’t get assigned a seat at a table without one. You can’t get chips without showing it. Your seat is documented on the table computer when you order food or drink attached to your membership number. You show it at the counter when you leave to pay for the time at your seat. Everything runs through your membership number.

That cop who says he was never asked to have or show a membership is full of shit."

Suspicion of Money Laundering

Instead of the illegal gambling investigation starting first, apparently, it was the money laundering that got law enforcement interested.

After receiving a "confidential report of some questionable financial activity," Agent Douglas Bell with the TABC began an investigation.

Before investigating The Lodge, the TABC began with Round Rock, another Texas poker club. They received bank records by the end of August 2024, and the affidavit holds many of the transactions they found.

During January and February 2025:
~$1.35 million was deposited from The Lodge through the Loomis cash vault inside the club, into Tempus Holdings, Inc. bank account (a business associated with The Lodge Card Club).

The search warrant states:

"The above listed transactions are believed to be in support of, and constitute evidence of the illegal activity taking place at the Lodge Card Club,"

Doug Polk responded directly to these accusations of money laundering on Tuesday, March 17:

I did not participate in, and still have no knowledge of, any money laundering in the operation of the Lodge.

I understand that some people assume that because there was a search warrant, a crime must have been committed, but that’s not really how the process works. A search warrant is just one step in an investigation, based on an affidavit from law enforcement.

That affidavit has not been given to the Lodge or made public.

My heart goes out to the hundreds of Lodge employees whose jobs are in jeopardy. These are good, kind, hardworking people, and it is painful to see them struggle through this uncertainty.

I also care deeply about the situation for our members. There are numerous people with both chip balances and tournament payouts that cannot currently be processed. I want to reiterate that these members will be made whole, and I will personally make sure that happens, in coordination with my attorneys, so that it is done properly.

With the advice of my lawyers, I am committed to cooperating with law enforcement officials, answering any questions they have, and doing everything I can to clear up the confusion of what has and has not been happening at The Lodge.

I expect to provide another update soon, once more information is available and my attorneys have had an opportunity to fully assess the situation.

In the meantime, I appreciate your patience and support.

At the same time, Doug posted a group where Lodge employees are seeking side work until the trouble blows over.

And amidst all of this chaos, it appears that Doug has become a father. It's tough to imagine a more wild time in his life to have a daughter, but that's just the way the deck is dealt sometimes.

Everyone at GipsyTeam congratulates Doug Polk, one of the legends in the poker community.

The Lodge Lays Off Employees

According to the Williamson County District Attorney's office, The Lodge runs a business model that does not comply with Texas law.

What that means is, reopening is not going to happen. And, since the club cannot reopen, employees jobs are no longer available.

Over 200 staff members have reportedly been laid off, notified via email from one of The Lodge's stakeholders.

Here is the email, posted to Reddit:

This is the hardest message I’ve ever had to write.

When we started this journey, there were no guarantees—only belief, grit, and a shared commitment to build something meaningful. Through the early challenges, we found our footing together. We built relationships, earned trust, and created a place that was more than just a business. It became a community—because of you.

Each of you played a role in bringing that vision to life. From the front desk to the porters, dealers, managers, and production team—every detail, every interaction, every long day and late night added up to something truly special. You made this place what it was. Not the building, not the brand—you.

That’s why it’s so painful to say that The Lodge Round Rock location will need to shut its doors for the foreseeable future. While no charges have been brought, and we maintain that the club has always operated with the utmost integrity and within the laws of Texas, the Williamson County District Attorney’s office has made clear to our attorneys that they believe The Lodge’s current business model does not comply with Texas law. For this reason, we cannot re-open. Doing so would run the risk that authorities might once again raid The Lodge, seize more cash and assets, and potentially make arrests. Because we have not been given any indication of when the investigation will conclude, we have no other viable path forward at this time. As a result, we are forced to make the incredibly difficult decision to let our entire staff go. We hope you know just how valued each of you are, and as we hope for a favorable outcome, should we be able to once again open our doors, our plan would be to welcome you back with open arms.

There are no words that fully capture how much this hurts—not just as a business decision, but on a human level. I am deeply grateful for everything you’ve given, and I will carry that with me always. You didn’t just show up to work—you built something that mattered.

As we now turn to the difficult task of determining what comes next, please know that each of you has my respect, my appreciation, and my sincere thanks. I hope you take pride in what we created together, because it was real, and it was special.

I will miss all of you more than I can say.

With a heavy heart,

Jason Levin

Even though the email appears to offer staff their jobs back if The Lodge reopens, the likelihood of that happening feels less and less likely each day.

Doug Polk Explains the Situation on YouTube

Doug Polk released a video on April 1, talking (as much as possible) about The Lodge's situation. He outlined the day of the raid, and explained some hypocrisy from law enforcement in cracking down on his club, but not others.

He also explains that, in his opinion, The Lodge was operating fully legally at the time of the raid on March 10th.