Location, location, location.... (1 Viewer)

Are you looking for a way to get the players to pay for the rent without you calling it a fee or raking? Or are you asking how to solve it legally?

If it's the latter, call it a gaming club or something like that, throw in a board game or two. If you want financial support, make them pay $10 / month to be a member of your gaming club with priority seating.

Another way for financial support is to sell food and snacks for a markup. I don't know what the liquor laws are there, but if you sell beer for a markup, that could work too.
 
Are you looking for a way to get the players to pay for the rent without you calling it a fee or raking? Or are you asking how to solve it legally?

If it's the latter, call it a gaming club or something like that, throw in a board game or two. If you want financial support, make them pay $10 / month to be a member of your gaming club with priority seating.

Another way for financial support is to sell food and snacks for a markup. I don't know what the liquor laws are there, but if you sell beer for a markup, that could work too.
More from the legal aspect. I don't wanna have to hide like we're doing something wrong. Obviously I'm not going to put a neon sign in the front window that says "please rob us", but I'd like to not have to worry about legal misunderstandings, either.

Edit: don't get me wrong, I would like to avoid having to shoulder the entire cost among just a couple of us. $10/player/night would cover the costs.
 
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More from the legal aspect. I don't wanna have to hide like we're doing something wrong. Obviously I'm not going to put a neon sign in the front window that says "please rob us", but I'd like to not have to worry about legal misunderstandings, either.
Open up a dealers school. Great reason to have all the equipment around. And you need a lot of “training sessions” where each person takes turns practicing their dealing.
 
More from the legal aspect. I don't wanna have to hide like we're doing something wrong. Obviously I'm not going to put a neon sign in the front window that says "please rob us", but I'd like to not have to worry about legal misunderstandings, either.

Edit: don't get me wrong, I would like to avoid having to shoulder the entire cost among just a couple of us. $10/player/night would cover the costs.
Well, I'm sure you can do the math on how to get the costs covered and how to distribute your income. Also remember that if you can run two tables, that's a higher income base. The question on legality depends on how your state *regulate this through their laws. If home poker is allowed, what defines a home game? Location might be one of the definitions here, so even if you carry all the costs - it might still be illegal because it's not conducted in a residence.
Also, different "workarounds" that most people think of, lose in court.
"We're weren't playing for money, only points", "We were only practicing", etc. There's probably thousands of people convicted on circumstantial evidence weekly, and it would only be circumstantial if every one is really good at covering their electronic trails (like don't go to ATM just before the poker game, texts, mails, web-pages, excel sheets, etc) so that will never happen. Also, you'll still have legal costs.

Your best bet is to make it as legal as possible. If everything is ok but you some times go over a set limit of money or players, that's easier to chalk up as an honest mistake rather than blatantly breaking the law on a weekly basis.

tl;dr: seek legal advice from a lawyer that has handled a poker case in your state earlier
 
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Legality aside: Tell your group you're tired of hosting it at your place all the time, and since none of them are stepping up, it's either pony up a few extra bucks every week to pay for a nice place to have the game, or break up the game.

If they can go in together to split pizza and beer then they can go in together to split rent. Assuming you can find someplace that doesn't cost too much more than beer and pizza money. Ten bucks a head sounds like a bargain for a fun night of poker.

Edit: I just realized you might be concerned about your jurisdictions no-fee requirement. If so - make it a voluntary donation, but be up front with everyone about what it costs to rent the place and make it clear you expect everyone to pay their fair share. If you invite someone to play and they don't pay up, don't stop them from playing... but then don't invite them back.
 
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Edit: I just realized you might be concerned about your jurisdictions no-fee requirement. If so - make it a voluntary donation, but be up front with everyone about what it costs to rent the place and make it clear you expect everyone to pay their fair share. If you invite someone to play and they don't pay up, don't stop them from playing... but then don't invite them baback.
This is what I'm strongly leaning towards. Just ask everyone for a voluntary $10 donation at the beginning of the game. No pressure. Just like when they do the dealer tip bonus at casino tournaments: at the table, right before the game starts, everyone sees everyone else do it and most stay with the herd.
 
Actually found a pretty decent spot. A guy I know just bought a building for his business and now has way more room than he needs. It's close to downtown, in a fairly run down neighborhood going under some gentrification. Still working out the details but his mortgage is cheap af, so I'm hoping a couple hundred a month and some help fixing the building up.
 
Nope. Want a more or less permanent spot. Don't wanna have to move in and out all the time.
Work out a deal with the host!!! Tell em your intentions, I’m sure they would let you leave equipment in garage neatly
 
Work out a deal with the host!!! Tell em your intentions, I’m sure they would let you leave equipment in garage neatly
Not a bad idea, unfortunately I live in a tourist town and most of the ab&b's are booked for weekends. Maybe in the off season.
 
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Is the GF tired of all the people in the house every Saturday night? Is she going to be fine with you being gone all night every Saturday instead?

Want to make sure you are looking at the right problem.

My wife doesn’t want me to have a game every week either, so I try to host every other week. But she would rather I host than go out to some random game until 4am as well. She doesn’t sleep well when I’m not home.

Maybe taking 1 week per month off on Saturday and spending it with the GF would be enough to ease her issues. And if it that she wants Saturday with you perhaps that week host on different night. Saturday’s are tough for a lot of people. I’m sure you could fill a game pretty easy on a Monday or Thursday, especially during football season.

just some other ideas to think about. Good luck and hope you are able to find the balance of happy GF and poker.
 
Just a few of my own thoughts on the situation in general, feel free to disregard anything below that doesn't fit:

It sounds like the game is growing too large, and the group's demands on your time are getting to be too pervasive. There also seem to be a lot of thorny legal issues to consider here. Unlicensed, not for profit cardrooms often don't survive very long. It might be easier to just freeze the amount of poker (or even scale it back a bit) rather than expanding it. Perhaps, think quality and not quantity. Maybe schedule games on Thursdays or Mondays. If some people can't make it, that simply solves the problem of the game getting too large.

Another point to think about: if no one else in the group is willing to step up, buy some poker gear, and help out by hosting some of the games, then why should you take all the responsibility/risk for them? (Granted, some of them may have very good reasons that they cannot host - but everyone?) It doesn't sound like a very fair situation for you. And as long as you are willing to do all the heavy lifting, things probably aren't going to change. It's a great deal for everyone else - they don't have to put up with a bunch of guests and a PO'd GF afterward.

Although you could possibly become single again soon, because it sounds like the GF is getting tired of losing her Saturday nights, that might not even be an issue for you. In the manosphere of today, many men would rather play poker with their friends than go out on dates anyhow. I can't say that I blame them, and I might even agree with them to some extent, but YMMV. :cautious:
 
Perhaps I haven't been completely clear. She doesn't mind the game. Hell, she plays most weeks she doesn't work. She just wants the basement and to get rid of the atmosphere and having people in the house every week lol.

I don't mind doing a lot of the heavy lifting, either. Poker is literally my only hobby and social activity. And my hobby pays for itself. And when I'm doing all the work, I can pretty much set the entire game up to best accommodate myself and no one complains lol
 
Ummmm....without looking at a map....you are in Iowa. I call your bluff.
Haha believe it or not, my town goes from 5000 residents to almost 15000 during the summer. I recall a couple years ago they estimated 25000 in town for July 4th. Lots of lake house get aways for Des Moines residents with money.
 
Haha believe it or not, my town goes from 5000 residents to almost 15000 during the summer. I recall a couple years ago they estimated 25000 in town for July 4th. Lots of lake house get aways for Des Moines residents with money.
I’m pretty sure I know where you live.
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What about renting an apartment? Not sure if that price would be comparable to a commercial office space.
 
What about renting an apartment? Not sure if that price would be comparable to a commercial office space.
Thought about it, pricing probably about the same. My concern there is annoying neighbors with comings and goings late at night. Don't need a Karen calling the cops on "an illegal gambling establishment" across the hall from her lol
 
Haha believe it or not, my town goes from 5000 residents to almost 15000 during the summer. I recall a couple years ago they estimated 25000 in town for July 4th. Lots of lake house get aways for Des Moines residents with money.

Clear Lake is where we stop for fuel on the way back from Omaha :p.
 

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