Posted by Johnnymac 11:03 AM Here is the story about the bar tournament that got shut down in Lubbock in February. The local AG seems pretty sure that these things are illegal and I would suspect that most judges in Texas would agree with his interpretation that the tournaments are illegal because bars are not private places and the increased business that comes with the tournaments are unequal profits from the game. It makes sense to me.
With regards to the assertion that it's no different that a pinball or golf tournament the answer is simple: cards (and dice) are specifically defined in Texas law as "gambling devices" and thus contests that make use of them constitute illegal gambling and are therefore not allowed in a public place like a bar. Personally, I don't see how prize pools for pinball and golf tournaments don't count as illegal bookmaking, but I'm not a judge and I don't write the law.
Random thoughts from a lawyer, an accountant, a commodities trader, an ex-Marine and a WSOP Main Event money finisher that don't know as much as they wish they did...