While waiting for Texas to possibly pass a poker bill today …
The Florida state legislature (with its Republican majority in both the House and Senate) closes its current session today to pass the state budget, as well as pass an expansion of gambling. The part the poker community cares about is the elimination of buyin limits in no-limit games (currently at $100) and the max bet in limit games (currently at $5). The gambling age increases from 18 to 21 and cardrooms will be allowed to be opened 18 hours a day weekdays, and 24 hours a day on weekends. Follow the debate on SB 788 (taking place now) live in the FL House here before it moves to the FL Senate here.
UPDATE: SB 788 passed overwhelmingly in the House and Senate, now Gov. Charlie Crist negotiates with the Seminole Nation on a gambling compact which must be completed by August 31 The Legislature must then go back into session to pass the compact for the gaming bill to go into effect.
DanM says:
May 8th, 2009 at 8:25am
Do you know when Florida first legalized racetrack and Indian casino poker? I’m thinking like 2005, or maybe 2006?
Kevin Mathers says:
May 8th, 2009 at 8:39am
Poker at parimutuel locations (but mostly at jai alai frontons/dog tracks) were allowed in 1997 with a $10 maximum pot. In 2003, the limits were increased to $2 per round (which is when the racetracks really got into poker). The rules currently in place were passed in 2007. From what I’ve found in a quick spin on the Internet (re: Google), the Seminoles have been in the gaming business since 1979 when they first introduced high stakes bingo, then eventually VLTs and poker.
DanM says:
May 8th, 2009 at 9:01am
I know the poker mini-boom there was relatively new, and when they first brought poker into the racetracks it kinda sucked, but then the next year they tweaked the rules (by law) a bit to make for better games. At least I think that’s how it happened … not know.
p.s. i love the word “frontons”. seriously, why are there not more frontons in America. Totally unrelated, I was so close to winning a superfecta that woulda paid like $36k back in 1993 … and when Barronio dropped that pelota against Joey, I was forever convinced that Jai Alai is rigged.
Kevin Mathers says:
May 8th, 2009 at 9:05am
The increase in gaming options helped cripple jai alai. Poker helped save the frontons in Florida in 2003 though. FYI, FL Senate is now discussing/voting on SB 788, then moving to the House.