Some Little Rock poker players are all in for a new poker room in the capital city.

Around 40 people showed up Saturday for the first game at the National Poker Challenge or NPC in Little Rock.

Before the games in Texas began, organizers assured players of the games’ legality.

The Little Rock city attorney and Little Rock Police Department have argued the games are illegal because they involve risking money between 2 or more people on a contest or game in which one person is the gainer and the other the loser.

However, the NPC argues that with no pay to play, the games are completely legal and give people who love poker the opportunity to play in a competitive environment with cash prizes.

(Michael White/NPC President) “It is just for the love of the game and this has been needed. As you can see behind us, people love to play the game of poker. They don’t want to risk money, they don’t want to go to the casino and feel like they have to risk money and at NPC, and they never have that opportunity.”

Players are offered the option of paying a $100.00 a month fee to track their progress, but the NPC says even those who do not pay this fee are eligible to compete for the cash prizes.

Recovered from the Poker Players Alliance archive index. This is the archived item as preserved.