State curbs poker action
November 13, 2005
Poker tournaments at Florida parimutuel facilities have
been shut down after a legal struggle over state rules that
limited wagering and entry fees.
But officials at some of the South Florida card rooms said
the change was having little impact.
Dania Jai-Alai General Manager John Knox said it has always
followed ''the spirit of the rules'' even when the rules
were eliminated. Workers said Saturday that the facility
was as full as usual.
The state Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering made the move
Wednesday to comply with a court ruling earlier this month,
officials said. Live poker can still be played at the facilities.
Stuart Neiman, a spokesman for Miami Jai-Alai, said, ``We
will cooperate with what the state says is appropriate,
while at the same time trying to offer the best product
to our customers.''
The Miami Jai-Alai fronton is the oldest in the United
States, getting ready to celebrate its 80th anniversary.
Many gambling officials are hesitant to openly criticize
the state's ruling since they share a monetary interest
in gambling regulations.
Some poker players in Dania Beach on Saturday said the
drop in the allowed number of chips has made players adopt
different strategies.
State curbs poker action
Poker was still a popular weekend activity in South Florida
even after state officials banned high-stakes tournament
play.
Herald Staff and Wire Report
Poker tournaments at Florida parimutuel facilities have
been shut down after a legal struggle over state rules that
limited wagering and entry fees.
But officials at some of the South Florida card rooms said
the change was having little impact.
Dania Jai-Alai General Manager John Knox said it has always
followed ''the spirit of the rules'' even when the rules
were eliminated. Workers said Saturday that the facility
was as full as usual.
The state Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering made the move
Wednesday to comply with a court ruling earlier this month,
officials said. Live poker can still be played at the facilities.
Stuart Neiman, a spokesman for Miami Jai-Alai, said, ``We
will cooperate with what the state says is appropriate,
while at the same time trying to offer the best product
to our customers.''
The Miami Jai-Alai fronton is the oldest in the United
States, getting ready to celebrate its 80th anniversary.
Many gambling officials are hesitant to openly criticize
the state's ruling since they share a monetary interest
in gambling regulations.
Some poker players in Dania Beach on Saturday said the
drop in the allowed number of chips has made players adopt
different strategies.
''If you're an aggressive player, you have a smaller amount
of chips so you can't play as many aggressive hands,'' said
Steve Sanzone, 49, of Weston.
The tournaments banned last week have become popular because
they allow players to pay a single fee for the chance to
win a jackpot in the hundreds of dollars in games such as
Texas Holdem. Tournaments have been lucrative for thoroughbred
and greyhound tracks and jai-alai frontons as they compete
with Indian gaming, gambling boats and Internet poker rooms.
Poker revenue has added more than $4 million to state tax
rolls since 2003, according to the wagering division.
The dispute began when Dania Jai-Alai and Calder Race Course,
in North Miami-Dade, sued to challenge limits on wagering
and entry fees. A judge agreed, ruling there is no language
in Florida law that allows the division to limit poker tournaments.
Read more: http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/13153942.htm
