you should move, Orlando traffic is the worst

good post

How old do you have to be to play poker in Florida again? J/k
Excellent post.

Poker Xanadu, Please help me understand: Why did the Florida government decide to make the pari-mutuels tax rate and poker limits contingent with the signing of the Seminole compact? One should have nothing to do with the other and I know that originally in the negotiations within the state the poker limits were not contingent but somehow at the last minute they were contingent. Why was this?

Thank you for clearing the air.

The bills to change the laws for the pari-mutuels were designed to give them advantages/breaks so that they could compete with the new Class III Gaming at the Seminole casinos. It made perfect sense to make these changes contingent upon completion of a compact with the tribe.

Great post, PX.

Many bills still await Crist

http://www.heraldtribune.com/article...ll-await-Crist

PokerXanadu ... thank you for this.

Ante Up magazine did a good article on poker in Orlando:

http://anteupmagazine.com/issues/09-06/default.html

Basically, local law trumps state law, and the Seminole County Commisioners (for those that don't know, the Orlando-area parimutuals are in Seminole County) are playing the NIMBY card. Basically, they don't want to be associated with any expansion of gambling.

But only because, in this case, state law says so.

Another useful resource - Governor Crist's list of Legislative Actions:

http://www.flgov.com/leg_actions/2009/2009_all.pdf

You can see here dates for the governor's action on bills that were passed, including date received, date action due, date signed or date vetoed.

The two bills to watch are:

HB425 Department of Business and Professional Regulation
This contains the call for a study of online gambling.

SB788 Gaming
Contains the new Seminole compact and changes to pari-mutuel laws.

A few more useful resources:

Track any new developments in Florida gaming legislation:
http://twitter.com/FLGamingWatch

Just like above, but full articles instead of tweets:
http://www.floridagamingwatch.com

Links to the Florida legislators with phone numbers and email adresses:
http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sectio...entatives.aspx
http://www.flsenate.gov/legislators/

Local media that usually publishes related news:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com
http://www.miamiherald.com
http://www.sun-sentinel.com
http://www2.tbo.com
http://anteupmagazine.com
http://www.naplesnews.com
http://blogs.trb.com
http://news-press.com

Publication that gives the other side of the fight, but also usually includes useful inside information in their related articles:
http://www.floridabaptistwitness.com

All the current Florida gambling laws (before implementation of the new bill):
http://www.gambling-law-us.com/State-Laws/Florida/

The Indian Gambling Regulatory Act, which is the Federal law in regards to gaming on Indian tribal lands:
http://www.nigc.gov/LawsRegulations/...5/Default.aspx

History of HB 425 - Department of Business & Professional Regulation, which contains the call for a study of online gambling in Florida:
http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/SEctio...x?BillId=40333

Full text of HB425:
http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sectio...5&Session=2009

Web site of Jim Tabilio, author of the poker study part of HB425:
http://www.pokervoters.com/

My question is this. If the Gov signs, but the compact falls through, does the limit changes still go into effect?

Without a ratified and published seminole compact, their will be increased poker stakes. It is contingent on the seminole compact becoming law

He means "there will be no increased poker stakes."

If the compact falls through, nothing in the bill becomes law. No increase in poker stakes, limits, buy-in, hours; no tax breaks for pari-mutuels; no wagering age limit changes at the casinos; etc. Nothing changes from the way things are now. Back to square one. All of the steps I listed for implementation have to be completed before any of the changes voted in the bill take effect. If it fails at any step, nothing changes - the whole bill would essentially be null and void.

Thanks for the responses, guess Im screwed here in Orlando. I wont mind travelling to Tampa, Daytona, Melbourne as much, though.