I've "slided" through town several times on some short-cut to the foothills - Sonora or Jackson. A freight railroad cuts diagonally through town. Never heard of any card rooms in the city. Only thought is, when the better-known Sportsmans Club/Sportsmans Association was kicked out of Modesto, perhaps they moved the action into Salida for a short time until opening their casino just north of Modesto? Maybe ask the people at Almost-in-Modesto Sportsmans Association if they could be a Sport and tell you about it?