For the first time since The Lodge Card Club raid, co-majority owner Doug Polk released a lengthy YouTube video regarding the manner.
Polk, a long-time YouTuber, broke his relative silence in a 22-minute video where he touched on just about every subject matter regarding the investigation.
The Lodge Card Club was raided by the Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission (TABC) over three weeks ago, less than 16 hours following the Lodge Championship Series Main Event, where Wayne Harmon defeated Harvey Castro in heads-up play to win the $204,145 top prize.
Causes of the raid
Gambling is considered illegal in the state of Texas; however, several poker rooms operate thanks to Texas Penal Code 47.04, which allows rooms to run as long as rake isn’t collected. The Lodge Card Club, as well as most poker rooms in Texas, charges players for memberships and seat rentals instead.
Polk addressed the law itself, which clearly states that “no person receives any economic benefit other than personal winnings.”
“As for economic benefit, really what that has boiled down to is there cannot be an economic benefit within the hand itself.
“So, essentially, 100% of the gambling must go to the player.”
The Lodge Card Club, as well as most poker rooms in Texas, charges players for memberships and seat rentals instead.
A 22-page affidavit filed by the TABC and obtained by PokerNews claimed that The Lodge broke the following five laws:
- 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
Doug Polk doubles down on guarantee
Shortly after The Lodge Card Club was raided, Polk personally guaranteed that all player funds would be safe. In his newly-released video, he claimed that he would pay millions of dollars out of his own pocket.
“If The Lodge does not make these people whole, I will,” Polk said. “I’m taking on seven figures in personal liability. Not because I have to, but because I want to, and I don’t want anyone that’s involved with this to end up losing their money.”
“I’m hoping The Lodge gets to reopen with its money back and pay people out themselves. But only time will tell.”
Polk responds to money laundering accusations
Within the 22-page affidavit, the TABC noted $1.35 million in suspicious deposits that were made from The Lodge into a sweeps bank account held by Tempus Holdings, Inc., another business associated with The Lodge Card Club.
While the investigation has been ongoing since mid-2024, when the TABC granted The Lodge Card Club its alcohol license, these deposits took place in January and February of 2025.
Polk took great offense to the accusations and attributed them to The Lodge running the biggest poker games in Texas.
“In this situation, I believe that what they’re saying is that, because we think this is illegal gambling, all of the transactions are, thus, money laundering.
“It’s suspicious to have this much money going into a bank account. The Lodge has basically the highest stakes games in the state of Texas and does a lot to try and protect the players. The Lodge offers wires for people to go in and out so they don’t have to take cash.
“There’s nothing suspicious about doing that from my perspective. We are trying to operate in accordance with the law. When I saw my name next to money laundering, I was shocked. I didn’t know what to do.”
A key date arises
Players could actually be made whole within the next eight days. The TABC has 30 days from the raid to file charges; otherwise, the millions of dollars that were seized will almost certainly be returned to The Lodge. Therefore, April 9th is a crucial date in the investigation.
Furthermore, The Lodge could potentially reopen on or around that date. More than 200 employees have been left with uncertain futures as they were laid off in the days following the raid.
However, if criminal charges are filed before April 9, this situation could drag on for months or years to come.
