Thanks everyone, that explains it.

Folks in Texas can be pretty creative about loopholes regarding "sin" activities (gambling, alcohol, etc.) I remember long ago when alcohol was under control of the counties, or partial counties. In Dallas, the part north of the Trinity river was "wet", and the part south (Oak Cliff and other small towns) was "dry". Predictably, there were a number of liquor stores just north of the Trinity, leading into downtown Dallas.

At some point, one of the smaller south-county towns (maybe Duncanville?) made liquor-by-the-drink legal at "private clubs" within restaurants. You'd purchase a membership card for $1, then you could be served a margarita with your 2-item-combo Mexican dinner as long as you were over 21. That's all been rationalized by now, I'm assuming.

It seems that Texas is leaving some substantial amount of "sin tax" money on the table by operating poker clubs in the current manner, but it makes for interesting play.

In the old days of poker in California, when only so-called "stud horse" poker was legal, and only if a local city permitted, you had islands of card clubs around the state dealing only draw (high) and lo-ball poker. Self-dealt by the players and charged "time" (no rake). Some of the players dealing draw / lo-ball were quite "interesting", what with dealing, handling discards & replacements, shuffling, burn cards, etc. Gardena (L A county) was legal, with a 35-table maximum, but the rest of L A county did not allow poker at all. San Diego county was legal, but only a 7-table maximum per club. This patchwork of regulations continued until the dam broke with the Bell & Bell Gardens clubs, then more and larger clubs, more games (hold-em, etc., and eventually Indian casinos too.

The legal & illegal limits to gambling & alcohol "sins" makes for an interesting study, from Prohibition and Repeal, up to the present day.

Looking forward to seeing everyone at South Point soon!