I'm going to try to get a statement out of the Harris County DA's office regarding poker tournaments, but in the meantime I can confirm that playing bridge for money is indeed an option here in Houston. As I recall, the rule is that the house can only charge a table fee - it cannot get a cut from individual hands played. The stakes are among the players themselves, and as you'd expect are settled up at the end.

For those who don't play bridge, the stakes are for points earned or lost on a given hand. Probably about half the time, 100 to 200 points are at risk, but up to about 2200 points can be available on normal hands. As such, even in the one-cent game, the totals can add up quickly. Lots of good bridge players have made a living doing this sort of thing.