Playing in a home game or local casino is generally no big
deal for the average person. As long as you take gambling responsibly and only bet
what you can afford to lose, playing poker is a great form of entertainment.
Each state is free to choose whether or not they want to allow games of skill
or chance to be played for money. In Florida,
while it is technically legal to play poker, it was very restricted. Just last
year Florida increased the
maximum bet in a limit hold-em game to $5. Florida
also made playing no limit hold-em legal as long as the buy-in has a $100 cap.
While these amounts are very small compared to the stakes found in Atlantic
City or Las Vegas,
it is better than criminalizing poker or outright prohibiting it. This past
April a bill in the state Senate was proposed to allow for charity poker
tournaments and televised high stakes poker tournaments.
The effect
of the bill would have been to act as another footstep in the door. Television
programs like the World Poker Tour would have been able to film tournament
events in Florida. The local
casinos would undoubtedly have benefited from the pro poker legislation even if
it did not completely remove the restrictions. Florida
state Senate Bill 1006 would have been a positive step for poker in Florida.
It had generated some momentum and was voted out of the committee on Regulated
Industries on April 1, 2008.
At that time there was no companion house bill so it faced an uncertain future.
Unfortunately, no companion bill is necessary. On April 15, 2008 the bill was sent to the General Government
Appropriations committed. On May 2,
2008, the bill was killed.
While this
particular bill was not able to get past the general committee stage, it is
hopeful that it made it through the proper committee handily. If you are a Florida
resident and want increased limits for both limit and no-limit poker games then
take the time to send a letter to your state representative and state senator. Poker
has its foot in the door but it needs you to open it.
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