[masterty]

Here's the scenario of the day. I've got a couple solid poker circles here in Edmonton compiled of the ever firmiliar poker addicts (about 20 people) like many of us who would love to play all hours of the day/night given the right circumstances. Our problem is this. Most of the casinos don't start their games until noon or later which is lame. Secondly they have either huge wait lists and/or not enough dealers to house more than 3 or 4 tables at a time until like 7pm or better, and then of course, the big house rakes.

Here is my solution. I'm going to be leasing a space in a commercial building (nothing super extravagant but still nice), put a face on it (a number of us have our own companies), hire 4 or 5 full time dealers and they can keep their own tips and above average wage (the house will be taking approx 70% of the rake versus the casinos), and open a 24 hour poker club.

Now, many of you are saying, look what happened in the US with the closing down of all the poker clubs, it's not legal, security, etc etc. Luckily for me I've got this all covered. SO if anyone is interested in joining this club I will be setting up 24 hour access cards and accounts within a months time so PM me. This will be a private club and any and all members will have to be approved prior to entry. Location address will be distributed upon approval.

I look forward to meeting you.

[jdunford]

Originally Posted by masterty

Luckily for me I've got this all covered.

So the police are on the payroll... awesome! Sign me up! (j/k)

I know of similar places in downtown Toronto. They're far from legit, and once the cops are done busting up the higher stakes cardrooms (and ones where most drug deals occur, Hell's Angels do their "business", etc.), they'll make their way around and break up the smaller ones, too. And I don't want to be there when it happens... not looking forward to spending the night in an 8' x 8' cell, thank you very much.

[masterty]

No drugs damnit....never taken them, never will, nor are they allowed on the prem. Essentially this is a legit business environment with a portion of it's space allocated for employee and customer entertainment.

[jdunford]

Originally Posted by masterty

No drugs damnit....never taken them, never will, nor are they allowed on the prem. Essentially this is a legit business environment with a portion of it's space allocated for employee and customer entertainment.

I wasn't suggesting your place would have drugs, etc. I meant, once the cops are done with the places where drugs are used/dealt, they'll come after the ones that don't, but that operate without a gambling license and take a rake, etc. The thing you've got going for ya is there'll always be an endless line of dirty joints where drugs are goin' down, so you shouldn't ever need to worry... but again, I don't want to be there when the anonymous tip goes through and the police decide to drag everyone in for searching, questioning, etc.

[xtwalker]

I think you should name it "The legitimate businessman's social club"

Ok, seriously, a friend of mine just told me that his brother in law just got busted for doing this exact same thing in BC. He is waiting to hear the final outcome of it right now.

Other than the legalities, great idea, and if you are going forward then best of luck to you.

[masterty]

Here's the interesting part (but still not totally legal - a shade of grey). Because I have an actual Alberta company that supplies poker chips and gambling equipment, Canadian Law states that I can legally segregate my business into sections including R & D (research and development) and thus the handling of my stock can be construed as product testing. Second to that, if no cash is kept on the premesis (I have a work around in place where credit is established via cash deposits to a seperate location) then nothing I'm doing is illegal. I'm paying my employees as product testers, my 'customers' are actively taking place in a field test and that my friends is the shade of grey I'm working with.

[jdunford]

You might want to check Canadian law. To qualify as "product testing", you can't be making money at it. So as long as the house breaks even BEFORE you pay your employees (dealers), then it's legal. But by taking a rake, even if 100% of the rake went to paying your employees (which it clearly isn't), you'd be breaking the law. (I'd have to check this myself, but the last I remember, it went something like this).

*EDIT* Now, if you don't take a rake and do pay the dealers, then sign me up! I might just move to Edmonton for that reason alone (well, that, and to work at NINT). I'll even bring my chips!

[dad604]

In BC, you can get a license for a private club. I know of a legal licensed private poker room but absolute no liquor allowed in the place. You can't even bring your own beer.

[4ceps]

Originally Posted by dad604

In BC, you can get a license for a private club. I know of a legal licensed private poker room but absolute no liquor allowed in the place. You can't even bring your own beer.

i was in b.c. in 2005...man there's a casino at every other corner in vancouver!

[masterty]

Hmmm interesting. I will check on the license dealy and see if it's available in Alberta....my guess is no but who knows. Either way with no actual cash on the premesis if there ever was a raid, it's a friendly game for fun, no money. The system is set up such that you pre-load a card at one location and when you get to the club and the cage you swipe your card and for example it says you have $500 preloaded. Staff will ask you how much off your card you want and what game your playing and give you say $300 worth of chips to play $3-$6 Kill (leaving you with $200 on your card). At the end of the night say you have won and your up to an additional $200, the cage will debit your players card the additional $200 for a total of $700. Cash out at any time at the other location, no fees, just a smaller rake then the typical casino rakes (about 70%). I've got 2 hostesses lined up already and 3 dealers (still looking for 2 more) so things are coming together nicely.