Card room license

WxfrdJay

We're crunching the numbers in opening a card club in my locality. Does anyone have any info on statutory requirements? Licenses, fees, special taxes? For the moment the idea only extends to poker, no casino games (Blackjack, roulette etc).

Any help would be terrific, I'm finding it hard to source info online.

DAMO72

WxfrdJay wrote: »

We're crunching the numbers in opening a card club in my locality. Does anyone have any info on statutory requirements? Licenses, fees, special taxes? For the moment the idea only extends to poker, no casino games (Blackjack, roulette etc).

Any help would be terrific, I'm finding it hard to source info online.

Open it up and see who tells you cant do this that and the other and pay them off and away you go. Goodluck with the new venture

pgodkin

WxfrdJay wrote: »

We're crunching the numbers in opening a card club in my locality. Does anyone have any info on statutory requirements? Licenses, fees, special taxes? For the moment the idea only extends to poker, no casino games (Blackjack, roulette etc).

Any help would be terrific, I'm finding it hard to source info online.

you should talk to the cops, tell them u are opening a private members club and see what you can and cant do, i think the main thing they might be interested in is if your serving drink, if free you do not need a lience but they may be concerned as it may prove trouble in the future to them!

where u thinking of opening it?

WxfrdJay

Thanks,

Are you lads speaking from experience? The impression I'm getting is that there is no legal requirement to have a license to play poker in a private members club. I'd be running it as a profit making business, is it legal to just set up and away I go? And pay tax on the income? I'm not concerned about how inconveinced the police are by it. They get paid to do their job.

Donkathon

yes but very simply they feel that your club will cause problems a little wisper from anyone of them to the council about your club and it will get denied simple as, the gaurds are the first in line you have to please

as a profit making business lol gl with this

newbie2

Check out the following:

http://www.glai.ie/
http://www.cro.ie/

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=2278601

and

http://www.google.ie/

WxfrdJay

Donkathon wrote: »

yes but very simply they feel that your club will cause problems a little wisper from anyone of them to the council about your club and it will get denied simple as, the gaurds are the first in line you have to please

as a profit making business lol gl with this

"It will get denied" >It will get denied what? That is what I'm asking, what will it get denied??? License? Permit? What? What do I have to ask the council to get denied?

And why is it such a rediculous proposition to make profit from it?

[Edit] I know that sounds a bit challenging, but I'm not offended by anyones comments, I appreciate criticism and welcome it, just back it up with why. If it is a tupid idea (which it might well be) I'd like to know why, what I'm not picking up on.

NickyOD

I don't think talking to the local police is good advice. They don't have a clue about gambling law and are likely to mislead you. Talk to a solicitor first.

fatguy

If it is a tupid idea (which it might well be) I'd like to know why, what I'm not picking up on.

Basically, unless you charge way more rake than anyone's willing to pay, you'll never cover your costs. You'll basically need to make them back at the bar, and a lot of players won't drink much while they're playing.

tipp86

I wouldnt fancy it myself in this current econmoic climate. I know the local card club does well on the 2 weekend nights but its a lot quieter than this time 2 years ago where in a small town there was 30+ on certain nights.

If you pm me i can probably put you in contact with someone who has done it recent enough.

hotspur

There is no licence (the noun is spelt with a 'c' in British English) for you to get. The question about the legality of it is almost irrelevant these days in this country. I would advise you to talk the the local Gardai. It isn't a question of their knowledge of gambling law as such (although I imagine they do actually know it mostly), but it is a question of what they will be happy with.

It somewhat depends on what part of the country you are in, but paying the local Gardai the courtesy of checking it out with them first may save you from them deciding to pay you an unwelcome visit some day. From a cost benefit analysis it makes little sense not to talk to them.

You can make money from operating a poker club, but it's very much a question of costs. If I were offering advice (what do I mean *if*) then I would look into the wonderful world of gaming machines instead.

On that note, does anyone know if Flipper went ahead with his arcade idea?

D.C.C

Speaking to the local police is a mistake before you formed a private members club,as mentioned before the local police have very little knowledge of gaming laws and there are many grey area's within the gaming law and they would mosly mislead you....

A solicitor is your first hurdle,and finding one who has dealt with similar operations shouldn't be too hard to find.

Other than that by the sounds of it you don't seem to have much idea of what you are doing or in which direction you should go.Going into business with no knowledge of the opening,set up and running of that business is not a good idea as many in Ireland have found out doing exactly what you are doing.

As for having a profitable poker business,it's close to impossible with poker only... covering costs would be best case...So having gaming tables is the only way to show a profit and without proper knowledge of this envirorment
i'm sorry to say you will most likely fail and cost youself alot of money and time setting it up.

Also you would need a considerable bankroll even to attempt this venture and with a low % of success...

Sorry to be so negative but i have seen the same thing so many times and i hope you read this and learn something from my experiences...

If you do decide to go ahead with your venture.Goodluck.....

Donkathon

ok first of all you need to apply to your local council for permission to hold a private members club there, they in turn will go the the superintendant of that area and ask is there any objections with that and very simply if he says yes he has got a prblem with that weather it be with drink being served or whatever the council will refuse you permission,

open without it and they will get court order to close you down (at your cost for the legal fee's i might add)

oh and dont forget to apply fo "change of use" or something like that most councils require you to apply if a different type of business is going to opperate in the biulding that used to be something else like a sweat shop

and as for profit, seriously unless your going to have a very good turn over of people and not just for the first few months you wont be turning a profit after rent, insurance (legally required) and staff and esb, bin chrges, possible water rates and the list goes on. sorry for my lack of optimism but i think your just going to be throwing your money away really buy gl