Cardroom
Encyclopedia
A cardroom or card room is a gaming
establishment that exclusively offers card game
s for play by the public. The term poker room is generally synonymous, since the gambling games played in such establishments are typically, and sometimes exclusively, variations of poker
such as Texas hold 'em
.
Such rooms typically do not offer slot machine
s or video poker
, or other table games such as craps
as found in casino
s. However, a casino will often use the term "cardroom" or "poker room" (usually the latter) to refer to a separate room that offers card games where players typically compete against each other, instead of against "the house." In the United States
, stand-alone cardrooms are typically the result of local or state laws and regulations, which often prohibit full-fledged casino gambling. This was typically the case in California
until the advent of casino gambling offered by American Indian
tribes in the 1990s, though card rooms continue to flourish and even expand there.
Since games played in card rooms are usually player-against-player instead of player-against-house, card room operators typically derive their revenues in one of two ways. In most, the dealer of each game (employed by the establishment) will collect a rake
, a portion of the pot from each hand. At other times, a charge will be levied against each player for a specific time period, typically each half hour.
Though traditional poker variants such as Texas hold 'em, Omaha hold 'em
and seven-card stud
are by far the most popular games offered by card rooms (and sometimes the only games), others may offer games such as panguingue
, pai gow
, Chinese poker
, and variations on blackjack
. These so-called "California games", or "Asian games", may resemble such traditional casino games as blackjack, baccarat
and even craps
, but have rules that comply with various state restrictions.
Most of stand-alone card rooms are located in California
, with more than a hundred such clubs licensed in 2006. Some are modest establishments with just a few tables, while others are the largest poker rooms in the world, offering as much as five times as many tables as the largest Las Vegas
cardroom. Some even call themselves "casinos," even though their lack of electronic and table games would normally disqualify the use of such a term by modern standards. Hollywood Park Racetrack, a Thoroughbred
race track
in Inglewood, California
, has an elaborate card room on its premises. Other large cardrooms are Bay 101
and Garden City in San Jose
, the Commerce Casino
in Commerce
and the Bicycle Casino
in Bell Gardens
. All these clubs host major poker tournament
s, which attract the game's top players and television
coverage.
Poker rooms are sometimes operated illegally. New York City has been home to underground card rooms, some of which were the basis of the movie Rounders
. Two rooms with more than ten tables—the 14th Street Playstation and the 72nd Street Players Club—were closed down by the police in 2005, but other smaller clubs continue to exist.
Websites offering online poker
games are referred to as "online cardrooms" rather than casinos.
Gambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
establishment that exclusively offers card game
Card game
A card game is any game using playing cards as the primary device with which the game is played, be they traditional or game-specific. Countless card games exist, including families of related games...
s for play by the public. The term poker room is generally synonymous, since the gambling games played in such establishments are typically, and sometimes exclusively, variations of poker
Poker
Poker is a family of card games that share betting rules and usually hand rankings. Poker games differ in how the cards are dealt, how hands may be formed, whether the high or low hand wins the pot in a showdown , limits on bet sizes, and how many rounds of betting are allowed.In most modern poker...
such as Texas hold 'em
Texas hold 'em
Texas Hold 'em is a variation of the standard card game of poker. The game consists of two cards being dealt face down to each player and then five community cards being placed face-up by the dealer—a series of three then two additional single cards , with...
.
Such rooms typically do not offer slot machine
Slot machine
A slot machine , informally fruit machine , the slots , poker machine or "pokies" or simply slot is a casino gambling machine with three or more reels which spin when a button is pushed...
s or video poker
Video poker
Video poker is a casino game based on five-card draw poker. It is played on a computerized console similar in size to a slot machine.-History:...
, or other table games such as craps
Craps
Craps is a dice game in which players place wagers on the outcome of the roll, or a series of rolls, of a pair of dice. Players may wager money against each other or a bank...
as found in casino
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
s. However, a casino will often use the term "cardroom" or "poker room" (usually the latter) to refer to a separate room that offers card games where players typically compete against each other, instead of against "the house." In the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, stand-alone cardrooms are typically the result of local or state laws and regulations, which often prohibit full-fledged casino gambling. This was typically the case in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
until the advent of casino gambling offered by American Indian
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
tribes in the 1990s, though card rooms continue to flourish and even expand there.
Since games played in card rooms are usually player-against-player instead of player-against-house, card room operators typically derive their revenues in one of two ways. In most, the dealer of each game (employed by the establishment) will collect a rake
Rake (poker)
Rake is the scaled commission fee taken by a cardroom operating a poker game. It is generally 5 to 10 percent of the pot in each poker hand, up to a predetermined maximum amount. There are also other non-percentage ways for a casino to take the rake. Some cardrooms will not take a percentage rake...
, a portion of the pot from each hand. At other times, a charge will be levied against each player for a specific time period, typically each half hour.
Though traditional poker variants such as Texas hold 'em, Omaha hold 'em
Omaha hold 'em
Omaha hold 'em is a community card poker game similar to Texas hold 'em, where each player is dealt four cards and must make his best hand using exactly two of them, plus exactly three of the five community cards...
and seven-card stud
Seven-card stud
Seven-card stud is a variant of stud poker. Until the recent increase in popularity of Texas hold 'em, seven-card stud was the most popular poker variant in home games across the United States, and in casinos in the eastern part of the country. Two to eight players is common, though eight may...
are by far the most popular games offered by card rooms (and sometimes the only games), others may offer games such as panguingue
Panguingue
Panguingue , Tagalog Pangginggí, also known as Pan, is a 19th century gambling card game probably of Philippine origin similar to rummy, first described in America in 1905. It used to be particularly popular in Las Vegas and other casinos in the American southwest...
, pai gow
Pai Gow
Pai gow is a Chinese gambling game, played with a set of Chinese dominoes. Pai gow is played in unsanctioned casinos in most Chinese communities...
, Chinese poker
Chinese poker
Chinese poker, also Pusoy , is a card game that has been played in the Asian community for many years...
, and variations on blackjack
Blackjack
Blackjack, also known as Twenty-one or Vingt-et-un , is the most widely played casino banking game in the world...
. These so-called "California games", or "Asian games", may resemble such traditional casino games as blackjack, baccarat
Baccarat
Baccarat is a card game, played at casinos and by gamblers. It is believed to have been introduced into France from Italy during the reign of King Charles VIII , and it is similar to Faro and Basset...
and even craps
Craps
Craps is a dice game in which players place wagers on the outcome of the roll, or a series of rolls, of a pair of dice. Players may wager money against each other or a bank...
, but have rules that comply with various state restrictions.
Most of stand-alone card rooms are located in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, with more than a hundred such clubs licensed in 2006. Some are modest establishments with just a few tables, while others are the largest poker rooms in the world, offering as much as five times as many tables as the largest Las Vegas
Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester...
cardroom. Some even call themselves "casinos," even though their lack of electronic and table games would normally disqualify the use of such a term by modern standards. Hollywood Park Racetrack, a Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
race track
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
in Inglewood, California
Inglewood, California
Inglewood is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, southwest of downtown Los Angeles. It was incorporated on February 14, 1908. Its population stood at 109,673 as of the 2010 Census...
, has an elaborate card room on its premises. Other large cardrooms are Bay 101
Bay 101
Bay 101 is a cardroom in San Jose, California. Like other California cardrooms, Bay 101 offers poker cash games and tournaments as well as special "California" style table games....
and Garden City in San Jose
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
, the Commerce Casino
Commerce Casino
Commerce Casino is a cardroom located in the Los Angeles suburb of Commerce. With over 240 tables on site, Commerce Casino is the largest cardroom in the world...
in Commerce
Commerce, California
Commerce is a city located in southeast Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 12,823 at the 2010 census, up from 12,568 at the 2000 census. It is bordered by Vernon on the west, Los Angeles on the northwest, East Los Angeles on the north, Montebello on the east, Downey...
and the Bicycle Casino
Bicycle Casino
The Bicycle Casino is the world's second largest poker cardroom.Founded by George Hardie Sr. in 1984, located in Bell Gardens, California, the Bicycle Casino offers a wide variety of poker games and limits, as well as pai gow poker, panguingue and California blackjack.Financing to build the casino...
in Bell Gardens
Bell Gardens, California
Bell Gardens is a city in Los Angeles County, California. The population was 42,072 at the 2010 census, down from 44,054 at the 2000 census.Bell Gardens is notable for being one of only five Los Angeles County cities to permit casino gambling...
. All these clubs host major poker tournament
Poker tournament
A poker tournament is a tournament where players compete by playing poker. It can feature as few as two players playing on a single table , and as many as tens of thousands of players playing on thousands of tables...
s, which attract the game's top players and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
coverage.
Poker rooms are sometimes operated illegally. New York City has been home to underground card rooms, some of which were the basis of the movie Rounders
Rounders (film)
Rounders is a 1998 film about the underground world of high-stakes poker. Directed by John Dahl and starring Matt Damon and Edward Norton, the movie follows two friends who need to quickly earn enough cash playing poker to pay off a large debt...
. Two rooms with more than ten tables—the 14th Street Playstation and the 72nd Street Players Club—were closed down by the police in 2005, but other smaller clubs continue to exist.
Websites offering online poker
Online poker
Online poker is the game of poker played over the Internet. It has been partly responsible for a dramatic increase in the number of poker players worldwide...
games are referred to as "online cardrooms" rather than casinos.
See also
- List of casinos
- Public cardroom rulesPublic cardroom rules (poker)Public cardroom rules are the rules and regulations used in casinos. While specific rules vary from casino to casino, most public poker cardrooms have similar rules and regulations.-Popular poker variants:...