In most legal jurisdictions, taking a rake from a poker table is explicitly illegal if the party7️⃣ taking the rake does not have the proper gaming licences and permits. The laws of many jurisdictions do not prohibit7️⃣ the playing of poker for money at a private dwelling, provided that no one takes a rake.

Rake is essentially a portion of winnings the7️⃣ host takes from cash poker games to offset the costs of facilitating the game. If you've ever played live games7️⃣ in a casino cardroom, you may have noticed the dealer taking chips out of the pot and setting them aside.7️⃣ That's the casino's rake.