Holy smokes the game rooms abound

9toes · 01-28-2010,

Well it seems the game rooms are all in PI now. Crowded with winter visitors as well.

Those who say the winter Texans are so tight they squeak when they walk should hear the tales of 20 thousand dollar week ends at these Port Isable game rooms.

Wonder if they are issuing 1099’s for all those “coupons and teddy bears” they are awarding to the winners?

Doglover · 01-29-2010,

It isn't just the game rooms, there are euchre tournaments, pool tournaments, bingo and probably many other ways to win (or lose) money. Both my parents and in-laws love to gamble. I've never understood it. Why people who are normally so frugle (i.e. cheap)will drive for miles for a chance to lose money.

In those game rooms, some don't realize, as those a couple of years ago found out, there is also a chance of getting "busted."

chezron · 01-29-2010,

To each his own I suppose. We have gone (out of sheer boredom with all the grey days this winter) into several game rooms to see what the big fuss is all about. From what we saw ( and, oh mea culpa, we enjoy some gambling...

) the tales are just that, I think. Most people we saw were playing 16 to 30 cents a spin and spending a couple of $5 bills. Didn't see anyone winning stuffed animals or toilet paper...or money for that matter. We did get a free soda and a free bottle of water and a bag of chips or tortilla chips and cheese if we chose.
We saw no unsavory types - only a lot of visiting back and forth among players much like a neighbourhood block party...or an RV park rec room. To the people that we spoke with it's one more thing to do here when the weather is cold and windy and dank and you've seen all the movies, read all your books, and done the malls and roamed the T-shirt shops and Lighthouse Square and done Walmart a dozen times a week (let's face it, SPI is not the entertainment capital of the USA, even though we love it dearly) and the people we spoke with all have casinos in their own states. It's another form of recreation for them (and us).
I don't know if the way these places we were in are run illegally or not. Nothing seemed untoward but I didn't know what to expect. Because of other threads on this forum I've tried to find out what determines "legality" in regard to arcades...it seems a nebulous law.
My husband and I would not miss these game rooms if they disappeared. We probably will not be in them again. We will fly Alliant or Sun Country to Las Vegas or Laughlin or drive to Louisiana or Oklahoma if we choose to spend some of our "frivolous money" on gambling for a few days. But I have the feeling the other Winter Texans we visited with would. It would be one less thing to do...they surely seemed to be enjoying themselves.
Please don't think this is a justification of, or an argument for these gaming establishments or gambling in general. Just another point of view from someone who has been in some of them, and I will now bow out of the thread.

9toes · 01-30-2010,

chez

thank you for that insight.

Have thought of going but they do allow smoking in there don't they?

chezron · 01-30-2010,

9toes...oh yeah...big time!!! One reason not to go! I think the two go together. We do not smoke and it was not hard to find someone to sit beside who didn't but it permeates the place. Would maybe go a few times if they were smoke-free.

Buddypar4 · 02-02-2010,

I would be there with bells on every day if they didn't allow smoking

been doing it for thirty years and not going to stop now.

01-28-2010,	#1
9toes Member Active Poster: 25-49 Join Date: 2009 South Padre Island	Holy smokes the game rooms abound Well it seems the game rooms are all in PI now. Crowded with winter visitors as well. Those who say the winter Texans are so tight they squeak when they walk should hear the tales of 20 thousand dollar week ends at these Port Isable game rooms. Wonder if they are issuing 1099’s for all those “coupons and teddy bears” they are awarding to the winners?

01-29-2010,	#2
Doglover Member Super Poster 100+ Join Date: 2007 South Padre Island	Re: Holy smokes the game rooms abound It isn't just the game rooms, there are euchre tournaments, pool tournaments, bingo and probably many other ways to win (or lose) money. Both my parents and in-laws love to gamble. I've never understood it. Why people who are normally so frugle (i.e. cheap)will drive for miles for a chance to lose money. In those game rooms, some don't realize, as those a couple of years ago found out, there is also a chance of getting "busted."

01-29-2010,	#3
chezron Member Frequent Poster 50+ Join Date: 2007 Canada	Re: Holy smokes the game rooms abound To each his own I suppose. We have gone (out of sheer boredom with all the grey days this winter) into several game rooms to see what the big fuss is all about. From what we saw ( and, oh mea culpa, we enjoy some gambling...) the tales are just that, I think. Most people we saw were playing 16 to 30 cents a spin and spending a couple of $5 bills. Didn't see anyone winning stuffed animals or toilet paper...or money for that matter. We did get a free soda and a free bottle of water and a bag of chips or tortilla chips and cheese if we chose. We saw no unsavory types - only a lot of visiting back and forth among players much like a neighbourhood block party...or an RV park rec room. To the people that we spoke with it's one more thing to do here when the weather is cold and windy and dank and you've seen all the movies, read all your books, and done the malls and roamed the T-shirt shops and Lighthouse Square and done Walmart a dozen times a week (let's face it, SPI is not the entertainment capital of the USA, even though we love it dearly) and the people we spoke with all have casinos in their own states. It's another form of recreation for them (and us). I don't know if the way these places we were in are run illegally or not. Nothing seemed untoward but I didn't know what to expect. Because of other threads on this forum I've tried to find out what determines "legality" in regard to arcades...it seems a nebulous law. My husband and I would not miss these game rooms if they disappeared. We probably will not be in them again. We will fly Alliant or Sun Country to Las Vegas or Laughlin or drive to Louisiana or Oklahoma if we choose to spend some of our "frivolous money" on gambling for a few days. But I have the feeling the other Winter Texans we visited with would. It would be one less thing to do...they surely seemed to be enjoying themselves. Please don't think this is a justification of, or an argument for these gaming establishments or gambling in general. Just another point of view from someone who has been in some of them, and I will now bow out of the thread.

01-30-2010,	#4
9toes Member Active Poster: 25-49 Join Date: 2009 South Padre Island	Re: Holy smokes the game rooms abound chez thank you for that insight. Have thought of going but they do allow smoking in there don't they?

01-30-2010,	#5
chezron Member Frequent Poster 50+ Join Date: 2007 Canada	Re: Holy smokes the game rooms abound 9toes...oh yeah...big time!!! One reason not to go! I think the two go together. We do not smoke and it was not hard to find someone to sit beside who didn't but it permeates the place. Would maybe go a few times if they were smoke-free.

02-02-2010,	#6
Buddypar4 Member Frequent Poster 50+ Join Date: 2008 Dallas / Fort Worth, Texas	Re: Holy smokes the game rooms abound I would be there with bells on every day if they didn't allow smokingbeen doing it for thirty years and not going to stop now.

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