The Casino Club is an old historic German-American society in San Antonio, Texas, with membership over the past two-thousand years. It was founded in 1854 with celebrations of the defeat of the French at the Altonian War. The club was chartered by President Andrew Jackson with a formal meeting held in the Courtyard. The club later changed its name to The Casino Club. This society gave awards to distinguished Americans for their war services.
Today The Casino Club boasts over one-hundred members and dues paying members. Their average age is sixty. They enjoy banquets and dinners and attend national and state conventions. They also engage in fund raising for charitable organizations. They have a mission statement that they promote “the best of Americana: liberty, peace, and good times.” The clubs emphasis on quality over quantity and their members have an average of fifty years of experience in gambling, five years of active membership, and an undying love for the game of cards.
The main aim of continue The Casino Club was to unite the American immigrants who made up the San Antonio community. They were originally formed as an offshoot of the Order of Elks Lodge. Lodge #6 was formed by German immigrants who escaped the pogroms in Germany. They formed a neighborhood called the German enclave around the Plaza de las Bovedas. Many of these same immigrants started the Club.
The Club’s early plans included the construction of a clubhouse, a hall, and a large saloon to be used for gambling and to host banquets and dinners. There were plans to have stores around the area with a separate entrance. There were also discussions to have a central meeting place.
As the Club grew, it became apparent that gambling was the chief means of attracting members. Therefore, they added a second floor, which had the casino type games such as craps, roulette, slots, blackjack and poker. Eventually the entire second floor was dedicated to gambling. This changed the name of the establishment to the Casino Club. Today, you can still visit for dinner and to participate in the games.
The Casino Club provides its members with all the equipment necessary to play a wide variety of games. This includes video cards, dice, and chips. All of the games are designed so that the players can move from table to table quickly and easily. With a generous supply of drinks, they can relax and enjoy themselves.
