Lodge Card Club Shutting Its Doors for "Foreseeable Future"; Staff Informed They've Been Laid Off
Employees of The Lodge Card Club were informed via an email on Tuesday that they've been laid off two weeks following a raid of the popular Texas poker room.
The poker room in the Austin area has remained closed since the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) conducted a raid of the business on March 10, which included seizing evidence and freezing assets. No one has been arrested or charged with any crime yet, but the card room co-owned by Doug Polk has an uncertain future that became even more questionable following an email sent to employees by one of the three majority owners, Jason Levin.
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
What's Going on at The Lodge?
The Lodge, as the letter states, will continue to remain closed "for the foreseeable future," but no timeline has been set for reopening or announcing a permanent closure. The company's sister property in San Antonio remains open, however.
Levin indicated to his employees that the Williamson County District Attorney's office does not believe The Lodge, a 68-table membership club with an attached bar and restaurant, operates within the letter of the law.
Gambling in Texas is illegal, but the often-debated Texas Penal Code 47.04 does leave open the possibility for poker games to operate so long as the host isn't taking rake. In Texas, rooms such as The Lodge charge membership and seat fees in place of rake. But the TABC, in a 22-page search and seizure warrant affidavit released to PokerNews last week, revealed they are investigating the Texas poker club for allegations of money laundering and illegal gambling.
PokerNews will continue to monitor developments regarding The Lodge and report them if and when they happen. In the meantime, get caught up with what happened with the initial raid in this episode of the PokerNews Podcast:
