Cardroom

A cardroom is a gambling establishment that offers card games for play by the public. The term poker room is generally synonymous, since the gambling games played in such establishments are typically variations of poker games.

Such rooms typically do not offer slot machines or video poker, or other table games such as craps as found in casinos. However, a casino will often use the term “cardroom” or “poker room” to refer to a separate room that offers card games where players typically compete against each other, instead of against “the house.”

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.