New Poker Limits Tomorrow for Florida Cardrooms

New Poker Limits - YEA!

Seminole Press Release. Looks like only the inital buy-in at the Seminole poker rooms for No Limit games is restricted to $100 and then you can rebuy right away up to whatever limit they impose.

Looks like Derby Lane will be the Tampa area home for Razz and Double Flop which should make the Ante Up! folks happy. Tampa Bay Downs will continue to be the room for Crazy Pineapple. Seminole Hard Rock looks like it will be the high stakes room. We'll have to wait for updates from Tampa Dog and Sarasota to see what special games they will deal.

New Limits in Florida Rooms Being Announced.

Local Florida card rooms are announcing their new limits that go into effect on July 1st. Rather than reposting info from their websites I will just post links to their pages as they update their offerings.

Derby Lane Ring and Tournaments

Silks at Tampa Bay Downs

And remember that the card rooms will now be open 7 days a week year round.

What is the No-Limit Limit?

There has been a lot of debate and speculation as to the meaning of the wording in the section of Florida Cardroom Bill 752 dealing with No-Limit Texas Hold 'Em.

However, a cardroom operator may conduct games of Texas Hold-em without a betting limit if the required player buy-in is no more than $100.

The word "required" is the point of contention. Many folks, myself included, who were hoping for a good sized buy-in were hoping that "required" meant the maximum that a player would be required to buy-in in order to sit down a the table. If the law were to be interpreted that way a poker room wouldn't be allowed to require a player to buy-in for more than $100 but the absolute maximum buy-in would be set at some amount that might be high enough to allow a 10-20 game or even higher stakes than that.

But I think we were wishing for something that wasn't going to happen here in Florida. At least not yet. Florida is the home of small stakes poker and this bill was written with small stakes in mind. The games get a tiny bit bigger and we now will have a small stakes no-limit game allowed but the Bobby's Room type game won't be here.

One of the staff analysis reports on 752 states

It allows a cardroom operator to conduct games of Texas Hold-em without a betting limit, if the players' buy-in is no more than $100.

You can find the full analysis along with three earlier ones here - scroll about half way down and look for the heading Staff Analysis.

Even more straight forward is the Cardroom Operations Rule Development Notice that states in part

rules to implement play of Texas Hold-em with a buy-in of no more than $100

You can follow along with the Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering as they make new rules on their rule making development page.

So it looks as the NL games will be a max buy-in of $100 making anything larger than 1-2 highly unlikely.

Florida Poker Game Spread Speculation

As poker players we do have considerable influence over the games offered in cardrooms. Bend the ear of the cardroom manager, the shift managers and the podium brushes and let them know what games you’d prefer. If the managers don’t know that you want to play a certain game they won’t offer it. If your room doesn’t offer a 1-5 spread hold ‘em or a pink chip game and that’s what you want simply ask to start an interest list.

Also important for us as players is for the cardroom to have a posted list of authorized games and wagering limits offered by the cardroom per 849.086. Maybe we can nudge the cardroom managers to list potential games on the chance that there will be enough future interest for them.

849.086 Cardrooms authorized
(7) CONDITIONS FOR OPERATING A CARDROOM.
--d) Each cardroom operator shall conspicuously post upon the premises of the cardroom a notice which contains a copy of the cardroom license; a list of authorized games offered by the cardroom; the wagering limits imposed by the house, if any; any additional house rules regarding operation of the cardroom or the playing of any game; and all costs to players to participate, including any rake by the house. In addition, each cardroom operator shall post at each table a notice of the minimum and maximum bets authorized at such table and the fee for participation in the game conducted

849.086 - full statute prior to passing of 752

Five Dollar Poker in the News

A quick look around the web to see what is being reported about Florida's new poker limits.

Scott Long at of the Ante Up! podcast and blog has written a great breakdown of what the local Tampa Bay area rooms will be spreading come July 1.

Scott's co-host of Ante Up! Chris Cosenza is quoted on Pokernews.com in a story about the new poker limits in Florida.

tbt*, a sister publication to the St Petersburg Times has an article by Scott Long (yep, same guy) about the new poker law.

Scott Long's article about Florda's new poker limits in the St Petersburg Times with a catchy headline.

Cardplayer blurb. Just more of the same.

Florida Poker Bill 752 is Now a Law!

Florida Poker Bill 752 has become a law without Governor Crist's signature.

Florida Poker Bill 752 Under the Bill History section it now states - "06/13/07 Became Law without Governor's Signature"

So starting July 1, 2007 Florida card rooms can increase the stakes to a whopping $5.00 for limit and a no limit amount still under debate on message boards. Seems our esteemed legislators may not have been entirely clear in the language they used to set up the no limit limits for both buy-ins at cash games and tournaments.

However it shakes out July 1, 2007 will usher in the next level of Florida Poker.

You can read the enrolled version of Poker Bill 752 here

HR 2607 and HR 2610 to Make Online Poker Legal and Regulated and Taxed in America

Although not specific to Florida poker there has been some action in the online gaming world. There have been two bills introduced in the U.S. House that have to do with having poker considered a game of skill and online gaming regulation.

H.R. 2610, also know as the Skill Game Protection Act, was introduced by Rep Robert Wexler (D FL). This bill will ammend the wire act in a way to allow internet poker and other games of skill such as chess, bridge and majong to be played online for wagers in the USA. The bill also has language to provide for regulations providing safeguards against minor play, money laudering and also for the taxation of play. States will have the opportunity to prohibit online play through state law.


You can follow HR 2610 at the GovTrack site or on the Library of Congress Thomas site.

H.R. 2607, also known as the Internet Gambling Regulation and Tax Enforcement Act, was introduced by Rep Jim McDermott (D-WA). The bill would create a taxation regime for online gambling companies to be licensed under the recently introduced Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act (H.R. 2046). The bill would also give online players consumer protection.

You can follow HR 2607 at the GovTrack site or the Library of Congress Thomas Site.

The website Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative has plenty of information on HR 2607 and internet gaming regulation.

The site also states "Estimated tax revenue generated through regulated Internet gambling ranges from $6 billion to $25 billion over five years"

On June 8, 2007 there was a hearing in Congress dealing with the regulation of internet gaming. here is a link to an edited version that runs a bit over 7 minutes.
YouTube link to the Financial Services Hearing on Regulating Internet Gambling

Mentioned above is H.R. 2046, introduced by Barney Frank which can be followed at the GovTrack site or the Library of Congress Thomas site.

H.R's 2607, 2610, and 2046 hopefully will undo the damage done by the UIGEA to online poker in the USA.

Poker Carve Out Bill

Here are a couple of articles about a bill that Congressman Robert Wexler (D-FL) will introduce in the U.S. House to create an exemption from the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) for poker and other skill based games.

Bill That Would Legalize Online Poker Introduced. The Skill Game Protection Act Defines Poker as a Skill Game. - from Cardplayer

POKER PLAYERS ALLIANCE STRONGLY SUPPORTS WEXLER INTRODUCTION OF ‘SKILL GAME’ LEGISLATION Plan Would Provide Rightful Protections to Online Poker Under the Law -from Poker Players Alliance

Florida poker Bill 752

You can read the enrolled version of the Florida Poker Bill 752 that is on Governor Crist's desk awaiting his signature.

http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?FileName=_s0752er.html&DocumentType=Bill&BillNumber=0752&Session=2007

Florida Cardroom Bill 752 Presented to the Governor

There has finally been some action on the Florida poker room legislation CS/CS/CS/SB 752 - Cardrooms

The Florida Cardroom Bill 752 was signed by the officers of the house and senate and presented to Governor Crist on May 31st. The Governor's action deadline for the Bill 752 is June 15. Governor Crist can sign the bill into law, veto it, or not sign it and it becomes law. Florida's governor does not have a pocket veto.

You can follow all the action on Bill 752, scroll down to the Bill History section or check the progress of Governor Crist's 2007 Legislative Actions.