03/13/2026
An email sent out to members of The Lodge Card Club gave a brief update on the situation, though it didn’t really explain much about what’s actually going on. The poker room has now been closed for two days following a raid that took place Tuesday morning.
The raid was carried out by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC), which is interesting considering the business is primarily a poker room. As of now, the real reason they showed up and searched the property still hasn’t been clearly explained. From the message sent to members, it sounds like even the owners of The Lodge are still trying to figure out why they’re being targeted.
According to the statement, “Our attorneys are working to understand the reasons behind the search but at this time, the situation has not been explained to us.”
In other words, the regulators kicked down the door first and explanations seem to be coming later—if they come at all.
TABC Suspiciously Raids The Lodge in Austin, TX
The email went on to say the situation is obviously upsetting, and until they can figure out exactly what TABC is claiming or looking for, the club will remain closed.
The Lodge Card Club, located in the Austin area and co-owned by poker pro Doug Polk, expanded in 2024 by adding a restaurant and bar attached to the poker room. Shortly after the raid, people on social media began pointing out that the poker room’s liquor license had technically expired in 2024. That part is true—but it leaves out an important detail.
The parent company, Sleamond’s Ice, LLC, had already applied for and received a new license that covers both the restaurant and the poker club. According to TABC’s own records, the business currently holds an active Mixed Beverage Permit that doesn’t expire until August 8, 2026.
So despite the speculation online, the state’s own paperwork shows the business does in fact have a valid permit.
The email to members didn’t say when—or even if—the poker room will reopen. PokerNews also confirmed that during the search no players or staff members were arrested, which raises even more questions about what exactly justified the raid in the first place.
Multiple attempts have been made to get a comment from the TABC, but so far they haven’t responded.
The timing of the search also raised some eyebrows. It happened just hours after the Lodge Championship Series Main Event wrapped up. That tournament managed to finish before the shutdown, but a special World Poker Tour (WPT) event that was scheduled to begin March 13 has now been postponed.
For now, the poker room remains closed, the players are left waiting for answers, and the agency responsible for the raid hasn’t offered much explanation.
