2008 Woodie Awards
Local man deals nonprofits a lucky hand
Newark resident opened Delaware's first public poker hall
by Jennifer Hayes
Issue date: 11/13/07 Section: News
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Brandon Buglio, owner of The Poker Room, has worked with nonprofit organizations for most of his life. He continues to do so with The Poker Room by renting out the facility exclusively to nonprofit organizations that hold poker nights to raise money.
"It's always a struggle for nonprofits," Buglio said. "They're always looking for avenues and fundraisers, any sort of way to raise money because they are so limited in their funding. I just try to help them as much as possible."
Though originally from West Chester, Pa., Buglio, 27, has lived in the Newark area for approximately five years. After attending the university for a semester, he left school to start his business.
He said he was a physical trainer at the Jewish Community Center in Newark when he first started running poker tournaments and fundraisers.
"We were always looking for fundraisers," Buglio said. "They asked me what I could do, so I was like, 'I'm into poker.' I looked up all the laws and it just grew from there."
He said he wanted to go beyond the JCC and work with other nonprofit organizations.
The Poker Room opened in May, Buglio said. In order to do so, he had to lobby the state legislature to allow him to open a public poker hall. The whole process took approximately three years.
The games that are hosted at the facility include Limit Texas Hold'em, Omaha, 7 card stud and Black Jack, he said.
Buglio said more than 30 organizations utilize the hall to raise funds.
"We're pretty much booked up here," he said. "Only one nonprofit can rent a night, so it books up pretty quickly."
All of the organizations combined have raised approximately $100,000 so far this year, Buglio said.
"Next year, because of the legal changes and because we're able to advertise, we hope to raise a half a million," he said. "That's our goal for all the nonprofits."
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