Underground Poker Nyc

admin 4/7/2022

Here’s a Throwback Thursday post from the not-too-distant past. Last week, we pushed a post about a character reel video for what was likely to be a television show about the underground poker games in Atlanta. Today we offer you this video all about the New York Underground.

The bets were rarely more than a few bucks. I kept playing when I became a New York City police officer—a lot of cops like poker. Once I started earning my living as an investigative reporter, I settled into a twice-a-month game, small stakes, at an athletic club in Manhattan. I knew about the illegal, underground poker games. Treating poker as a legit activity in New York rests on its definition as a game of skill or chance. Under the laws of New York state, Penal Code 225.00 states: 'A person engages in gambling when he stakes or risks something of value upon the outcome of a contest of chance or a future contingent event not under his control or influence, upon an agreement or understanding that he will receive.

Underground Poker NYC actually aired on the National Geographic channel, to mixed reviews, but we thought that there’s gotta be a bunch of people who either don’t have that channel on their cable package or missed it the first time around.

6, 2007 — - The killing of a former professor in a private New York City poker room last week has stunned the underground gaming world and frightened some players and operators of poker. New York underground poker player tells his story.

This is 'Underground Poker NYC - National Geographic' by Weinberger Media on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

So let Mikey Tats take you through the ins and outs of the, still illegal, poker underground that resides in the Big Apple. Then, just when you think that looks cool, listen to this story…

Bonus: Underground Poker Room Robbery

Going back to the Mayfair Club, New York City's underground card rooms have had an almost legendary status for producing players such as Howard Lederer, Erik Seidel, and Dan Harrington.

Around 2005, many of the popular rooms were raided and shut down. Now many people are wondering if there are any live poker options for New York City.

New York City Laws Pertaining to Gambling

The New York State Constitution states the following in Article 1, Section 9:

[N]o lottery or the sale of lottery tickets, pool-selling, book-making or any other kind of gambling [except state-run lotteries and state-sponsored pari-mutuel betting on horse races] shall hereafter be authorized or allowed within this state; and the legislature shall pass appropriate laws to prevent offenses against any of the provisions of this section.

Underground Poker Rooms Nyc

Of course, many people state that poker is not gambling. They state that poker is a game of skill and therefore does not apply to this law. However, New York law has a different opinion.

New York's Definition of Gambling

The New York Penal Code under section 225.00(2) gives their own definition of gambling:

A person engages in gambling when he stakes or risks something of value upon the outcome of a contest of chance or a future contingent event not under his control or influence, upon an agreement or understanding that he will receive something of value in the event of a certain outcome.

As you can see, poker is gambling under New York state law. You put something of value up on something that is not under your control. You cannot control the turning of the cards or the outcome of the hand. As a result, this constitutes gambling in New York.

Underground Poker Rooms

Underground poker rooms do still exist in New York City, but they are run tighter security than rooms did earlier in the decade. New players will only get in via the recommendation of another player, and then only after they have been checked out by security.

However, one must remember that these rooms are all underground rooms and still illegal. There have been instances in the last couple of years of robberies at these card rooms that have resulted in the death of players. For a while, the card rooms ceased operations, but eventually people ventured out wanting to get their poker fix.

Also, these card rooms are still subject to raids by the authorities. When these raids occur, kiss your money goodbye.

Underground Poker Nyc Reddit

If you want to play poker and you live in New York City, the best 'legal' way to go about it is to take a ride over to Foxwoods in Connecticut or to Atlantic City. Otherwise, you are taking a risk with both your money and potentially you life.