Florida Reps Want to Attract Major Poker Tourneys

Copied from the Triangle Poker Journal

Florida Reps Want to Attract Major Poker Tourneys
Change in Law Will Allow Cardroom to Host Large-Buy-in Events

A bill is currently going through committees in both the Florida state house and senate that is designed to bring large multi-day poker tournaments to the states card rooms.

The bill would allow the state’s casinos and pari-mutuel facilities to each hold a major poker tournament twice a year. Although almost every casino, race track, and jai alai center in Florida has a cardroom, the law limits the hours of operation from noon to midnight, and cardrooms aren’t allowed to be open whenever an event isn’t taking place at the tracks or arenas.

The bill is working its way through committees in both the state house and senates, and, if everything goes as planned for the two sponsors, will be approved by the wings of government in May.

If that happens, the law change will take effect in July. If it doesn’t make it through the House by May, the bill will probably die because the House meets for only two months each year.

The sponsors, Senator Steve Geller and House Member Joe Gibbons, who are both Democrats, hope the law change will help further boost tourism in a state that depends on it.

“People want to come to Florida to begin, with so let’s compete with these other cities to have [big-time poker tournaments] here," said Kristin Carter, a legislative aid to Gibbons. “Poker’s gotten big, and a lot of people travel to these tournaments and we would love to have them come to Florida and patronize our districts.”

The bill requires the tournaments to be broadcast nationally, although specific language on what exactly that means is being revised.

This bill does not affect how cash ring games are run in Florida. Betting in ring games is limited to $2, with a maximum of three raises per hand. Despite this major restriction, live poker is very popular in the state, and through several major pub poker leagues in the state, its popularity continues to grow.

Copied from the Triangle Poker Journal