[Niagara_All_In]

OK for all of you that host home games how many have a rake?

In my home games I have never had a rake but some players tell me I should. Just wondering how many hosts have them here and with a $22.00 buy in that your rake might be?

the way my home games go right now is

$22.00 buy in

$20 going into that nights pot and $2.00 goes into the year end tourny pot.

I would really hate to add a rake but I need to offset some of the cost for hosting (New chips, Tables, Drinks, Cards, yadda yadda yadda)

Thanks for the info and input in advance.

[hunterking]

my advice: don't do a rake unless you are willing to push your house into the pot. i don't nkow about canadian law, but, here in the states, the rake is what makes a legal home game illegal.

hk

[dad604]

We usual host the game at my place and so far, no rake but everyone is suggesting that something should be done, either a rake or a flat per head charge to cover misc. expenses.

[ky70]

Originally Posted by dad604

We usual host the game at my place and so far, no rake but everyone is suggesting that something should be done, either a rake or a flat per head charge to cover misc. expenses.

No Rake for me either...I don't want the headache.

[hachkc]

If the house takes any form of money (rake, tip jar, cover, entry fee, whatever), that's usually enough to put you into the gray area depending on local laws. Every story I ever heard/read about home games getting busted involved either some form of a rake or some other illegal activities (drugs, guns, etc.).

On another forum, a member suggested putting up a sign that said:

"No tipping the host . . . At the game."

[VARoadstter]

I don't rake my game but I pay rake at the others that I go to. I'm not willing to risk police trouble. I will say that if it were legal for me to rake then you'd better believe I would.

[JustinHEMI04]

The best way around this is to tell people to bring their own ****. Or, even though still somewhat questionable, is days before the game have people "pitch in" for food and beverage. That would be no different than a cookout or something that you invited people too.

Justin

[SpaceMonkey]

I don't rake, and I never will.

[Double Eagle]

In Kansas, home games are not legal with or without a rake.

I play in three different home games and they all have a house fee of $10 per player. Host provides food, snacks and non-alcoholic drinks. All of the players are perfectly happy to pay the fee.

Note these are normally cash games, with limits up to $10/20. An occasional tourney thrown in (cash game follows) with the buy-in usually $50.

Works well for us.

[chipper57AA]

In 20 years, I've never had a rake in our group's games. The only exception to that is once we upgraded chips and everyone chipped in (per se) to help offset the expenses - but that was done outside of the game.

If you love the game and like buying the best for your game thats fine - just don't expect your friends to finance it. Spend the money yourself or get your buddies to share the costs upfront as they are willing.