Poker players who now attend illegally organized card games would get to take part in legal, licensed Texas Hold 'Em wagering across the state under a proposal in the Legislature.
The bill by Rep. Jose Menendez, a San Antonio Democrat, would allow live or electronic poker gambling at certain establishments as well as charitable poker for qualified groups.
Poker enthusiasts, including some leading national players, are expected at the Texas Capitol today for a hearing on the proposal before the House Licensing and Administrative Procedures Committee.
If enacted into law, the measure would put Texas alongside several other states such as California and Montana that created a safe, regulated environment for poker wagering, said Michael Bolcerek, president of the National Poker Players Alliance.
The Texas proposal calls for allowing the card game Texas Hold 'Em, which Bolcerek describes as "the granddaddy of poker."
