I participated in, and ran, home games for several years. Had tons of fun and made some cash at the same time. As long as the stakes are relatively low and the rake is little to none I think this format is great. When the stakes get to 1/2 level or above I'd rather be at a casino (unless I personally know all of the players) as the dollar amounts start to approach levels where bad things can happen (arguments, cheating / colluding, lack of security / robberies, etc). Also, for the home games that charge a rake it's a slippery slope and illegal in most states. Just pointing out some of the good and bad sides of home games.