How to Deal with Bullying

I get bullied a lot playing live poker, and I don't know how to deal with it. I'm very quiet, introverted, suffer from chronic anxiety and depression, and have been told by mental health professionals I appear to be "on the spectrum." I have been a target of bullies most of my life, and this plays out in poker too. I'm a semi-regular player, and one of the other regulars always makes a comment about me when he sits down at my table, something along the lines of "Has anyone ever heard this guy talk?" One guy even "hit" me one time, like a non-menacing hit. I don't remember why, but it shocked me. I recently started playing a higher stakes semi-private game because it's good action, and everyone at first made negative comments to me, presumably because I played tight and didn't push every other hand like they did. When I sit down at that game occasionally now there's always a bunch of groans.

The worst comment was a few weeks ago. A guy made a homophobic comment about me. As soon as I sat down it was "Seat one" this and "Seat one" that. I didn't do or say anything to provoke him, or say anything in response. He eventually stated that I would be sucking a lot of dealers D's as part of some running joke at the table that was kind of funny at first but somehow spiraled into homophobia against me. One of the other regs tried to stand up for me, which some players that seem to like me sometimes do. I tried to laugh it off. I feel bad I didn't say anything confrontational, and feel like I should have even reported to the floor since it was homophobia.

In the past when I had more energy, I had a temper, and would sometimes "explode" on bullies, which quickly became fist fights resulting in broken bones or cartilage on someone's part. I can handle myself fighting, although I don't work out anymore and am small framed. I don't want to have fist fights anymore, and I don't want to get kicked out of the casino. I don't know how to stand up to a bully without it becoming violent.

I try to ignore these people, but they sometimes really get to me, especially when the bully is a reg I have to see often. What do I say when people make bullying comments towards me?