Trouble for Florida Poker Players

It didn’t take long before poker players in Florida had their fun ruined by the authorities. Only five days prior, a new law had taken effect which allowed an increase in legal poker stakes. According to the law, poker could now be played for stakes higher than $1/$2 as of July 1st.

The law was no doubt popular, as hundreds of players lined up to play poker at 12:01 am on July 1st. As the casinos had decided to interpret the law, players could not be made to buy-in for more than $100, but they could play for as much money as they wanted to. In fact, several games with five-digit stacks of chips were documented.

BEING KEPT DOWN BY THE MAN

But after only a few days, the casinos were informed by authorities that the $100 amount was the maximum buy-in, and that players couldn’t buy more than that at any time.

This has led some in the industry to question whether or not this new interpretation was handed down after complaints from the state’s influential parimutuel interests (horse and dog racing).

A FURTHER DEFINITION

The specific part of the law reads:

“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.”

Sounds simple enough, right? I guess not, as authorities showed up at various casinos on July 5th, including the Seminole Hard Rock Casino, to begin their crackdown.

As the authorities interpret the law, the $100 figure is the maximum amount that any customer can purchase in chips at any single time. Re-buys will also now be limited to the $100 level.

At the moment, $1/$2 and $2/$5 games of No-Limit Hold’em are being offered at Florida casinos. Better enjoy them while you can, as there’s never any telling when the state may swoop in with a new set of “interpretations.”

For more articles on poker, take a look at the following:

WSOP Update

Florida Poker Bill Becomes Law

Trouble for Florida Poker Players