State, Seminoles agree on gambling compact

Gov. Charlie Crist has just announced a compact deal with the Seminole Tribe of Florida, allowing for an expansion of casino gaming at the tribe's seven Florida casinos, including the Hard Rock near Tampa.

• "Class III," or true Vegas-style slot machines, will replace the "Class II" video bingo machines that look like slots.
• "House-banked" card games, like blackjack and baccarat, are now allowed.
• Craps and roulette are NOT allowed.

For poker players, it doesn't appear much will change. The compact allows "high stakes poker games," but what it really means is games that are permitted under Florida law. (I guess to some people $5 bet limits constitute "high stake.")

Specifically, the compact says, "The Tribe presently conducts and shall continue to conduct poker in each of its Facilities in compliance with provisions of Florida law, including provisions that limit wagers and pot sizes."

Interestingly, in the last draft of the compact, this was the line:

"The Tribe shall conduct poker in each of its Facilities in compliance with provisions of Florida law that limit hours of operation, wagers and pot sizes."

The "hours of operation" is a huge thing. And it's not in the final compact, though it's unclear at this point why it was taken out, or whether the final wording is meant to include it.

If so, it'll be a tough break for poker players looking for a legal game in the dead of night (Tampa Bay pari-mutuel rooms close anywhere between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. every night, and don't reopen until 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. the next day). But again, it appears to me that the current 24/7 operation will be allowed to remain.

Obviously most of us were hoping a compact deal would lift poker restrictions so we could finally play the game somewhere around here like it's meant to be played, but let me revisit an idea I posted briefly here before. Perhaps this is a good deal for Tampa Bay poker players.

The Hard Rock will undoubtedly score a larger percentage of the gaming dollars in the Tampa Bay area now, as people who used to play the dogs or the ponies - or even poker - will now play blackjack and other new games. Pari-mutuel operators are, justifiably, concerned about how this will affect their bottom lines, if not their very existence.

But ensuring that at least the poker is compatible between the different rooms gives pari-mutuel rooms a fighting shot at competing for at least poker players. We've seen gradual improvements in the poker laws over the past few years, and anything can happen in the future.

My guess is the pari-mutuel lobby will become more vigilant in Tallahassee, citing the compact as a threat to their future, and encouraging even more liberal poker laws be passed. It's not inconceivable that within a few years, poker laws will be less stringent in Florida, and we'll still have multiple rooms in which to choose from. For my money, that's better than one "Taj Mahal" size room and nothing else, which easily could have been the near-term future if the Seminoles were allowed to deal whatever they wanted.

- SCOTT 

Comments

[Gambit]

I agree with your read into striking of the "hours of operations" statement. I think poker operations at HR will continue to be 24/7.

And I think the added age restriction of the compact will, at least, funnel the 18-20 year old crowd to the parimutuels.

[ScottD]

Thanks for your cardroom insight as to how this compact affects Florida Poker Scott.

It will be interesting to see how long this takes to go into effect. Looks like Rubio and Gellar are lining up to fight Crist on this compact and to protect their pari-mutuel friends in south Florida. Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum is also against the comapct but that should come as no surprise to anyone. However it works out I'll bet that the Seminoles start up the games and then make the courts try to shut them down rather than wait for the courts to give them a start date.

So what is your over/under on the start date for blackjack at the Rock? I hope the expanded gaming brings out the big gamblers who also enjoy splashing their chips at the poker tables.

[John]

I think Gov Crist pact is standing pretty solid legal wise.

I think expanded casinos gaming is coming.

As for parimutuels, they already have poker (and slots in S FL). They were only suppose to be racetracks.

Quit whining.

[John Plenzick]

I think this pact allowing blackjack is great..The state gets much needed revenue guaranteed, more jobs open up, and im sick and tired of hearing the whiners about how this law will increase crime, suicide, prostitution, etc.. Their comparisons are based upon large cities where this kind of behavior is commonplace.. I dont see that occuring on I-275...

[ryan]

Why arent craps and roulette being allowed

[Scott Long]

Ryan, the bigger question for most is why are blackjack and baccarat allowed, since the state wasn't compelled to offer them. My opinion: those card games were added to give the Seminoles an incentive to not let the Interior Department rule for them, and craps and roulette were left out so the governor could say gambling didn't expand too much.

[Dan]

Scott L - I think you're dead on with your assessment.

John - Normally I would not even respond to a statement like "quit whining", but the thought behind the words is worthwhile. The parimutuels have been granted limited increases in an effort to allow competition and avoid a monopoly. In the past, this potential monopoly was by a sovereign nation that paid no taxes whatsoever. Now that they are offering revenue to the state, they are being granted a monopoly. I don't think that it is "whining" when businesses that have been in operation for 80 years are concerned that their state legislature limits their ability to compete in a growing market.

Having local blackjack will absolutely affect local poker. The evenings and weekends are filled with casual players that play poker because they see it on tv. Whenever I say that I work in a poker room to non-poker players (friends and family), they automatically associate blackjack. Now these players, who may have taken the chance to learn poker, will have the opportunity to go play something they already know. The local "new player" growth will slow and many of the current casual players will try the game "that they know they can win" because the local sharps have been beating the pants out of them.

Chris, Scott - Sorry to take up so much space!