Poker ace Chris Moneymaker has opened a new card room in Paducah, Kentucky.
Located in the easternmost part of the Bluegrass State, Moneymaker’s Social Club is the latest option for Missouri gamblers looking for an alternative to online MO casinos.
Moneymaker’s Social Club debuts in Kentucky
Originally set to debut on Sept. 1, Moneymaker’s made its official soft launch on Friday, Sept. 16.
In early June, the 2003 WSOP main event champion and poker ambassador acquired a business license to run a card room. Keeping it simple, he decided on the name Moneymaker’s Social Club. He set his sights on offering players a membership-style card room.
What is a social club card room?
Social clubs — also known as card rooms — are gaming establishments that offer table games and various other types of competitive play. These clubs are open to all members of the public — so long as you’re 21 or older.
In the case of Moneymaker’s, the club features eight card tables as well as additional space for larger events and tournaments. Moneymaker says the room will offer everything from pool, darts, card games, backgammon, chess, cornhole — basically anything members might wish to play.
Operators don’t take rakes from the cash pot at social clubs. Instead, these rooms typically charge an hourly fee for gaming. Alternatively, some also offer monthly and yearly membership options.
Moneymaker’s, on the other hand, intends to offer it all. Players can opt for an hourly, daily, weekly monthly or yearly membership. There are even membership options for those looking to grab some grub and catch a game on one of the big screens. Moneymaker explained:
“We tried to design it like a county club, but for people who could actually afford it.”
Moneymaker says the club will also offer a full bar as soon as it receives its liquor license.
This club is Kentucky’s second poker room. Last year, the Royal Social Club opened its doors in London and currently boasts a nine-table room.
Some of Missouri’s riverboat casinos offer poker
Moneymaker’s was initially intended to make a home for itself in Texas. However, the Lone Star State features far more card rooms than Kentucky. Thus, the Tennessee native ultimately opted for a location closer to his neck of the woods with limited competition.
Moreover, Moneymaker’s new card room is about a two-and-a-half-hour drive from St. Louis, making it an ideal new option for Missouri gamblers.
But a trip to Kentucky isn’t the only option for Missouri players looking to wager. Missouri’s gaming industry ranks as the 11th-largest in the nation, employing over 10,000 people.
As such, Missouri features a handful of in-person poker rooms within its own borders.
A total of 13 riverboats offer Missouri casino gaming throughout the state. But only five of those casinos feature poker rooms.
Missouri riverboat casinos & games
| Casino | Location | Games Offered |
|---|---|---|
| Ameristar Casino Resort Spa St. Charles | St. Charles | BJ, C, R, P, S, B, 3C PGP |
| Ameristar Casino Hotel Kansas City | Kansas City | BJ, C, R, P, S, B, MBac |
| Harrah’s Kansas City | Kansas City | BJ, C, R, P, S, MBac |
| Horseshoe St. Louis | St. Louis | BJ, C, R, P, S, 4C, LR, 3C |
| Hollywood Casino & Hotel St. Louis | Maryland Heights | BJ, C, R, P, S, B, LR, HCF |
| Argosy Casino Hotel & Spa | Riverside | BJ, C, R, S, PGP, MS |
| Isle of Capri Casino Hotel Boonville | Boonville | BJ, C, R, S, MS, LR, FP |
| Century Casino Cape Girardeau | Cape Girardeau | BJ, C, R, S, HCF, 3C, MS |
| Bally's Kansas City | Kansas City | BJ, C, R, S, MS, UTH |
| Century Casino Caruthersville | Caruthersville | BJ, C, R, S, MS, 3C |
| Mark Twain Casino | La Grange | BJ, C, R, S, C4, UTH |
| Rivercity Casino Hotel | Lemay | BJ, C, R, S, B, PGP, UTH, |
| St. Jo Frontier Casino | St. Joseph | BJ, C, R, S, MS |
Craps (C), Blackjack (BJ), Roulette (R), Baccarat (B), Poker (P), Slots (S), Mini-Baccarat (MBac), Pai Gow Poker (PGP), Let It Ride (LR), Crazy 4 Poker (C4), 3 Card Poker (3C), 4 Card Poker (4C), Ultimate Texas Hold’em (UTH), High Card Flush (HCF), Mississippi Stud (MS), Free play (FP)
Still to come in Missouri
Unlike retail casinos, online poker remains illegal in Missouri. And that’s not expected to change anytime soon. Lawmakers have instead been laser-focused on legalizing sports betting since Kansas debuted the industry earlier this year.
Missouri sports betting, it seems, will be the next legal frontier in the state’s gambling docket.
