Poker Room Proximity Most Important to Florida Poker Players

The new law that will allow Seminole Indian casinos to offer blackjack, baccarat, and Vegas style slots, is not expected to hurt the business of local Florida poker rooms that have become popular since the state decided to allow the games years ago.

The Sarasota Kennel Club is one of those poker rooms that is not scared about the new laws. As the Seminoles expand so will the Kennel Club. They are expecting to expand their poker operations from 24 tables to 32 and they are eyeing further growth.

Although declining racing attendance over the last several years has caused the Club to decide to only run the dogs in wintertime, when tourist season is peaking, poker is drawing more and more customers year round.

A Kennel Club spokesman indicated to a local newspaper that he did not expect new Florida gaming laws allowing blackjack and baccarat at Seminole casinos to have a negative effect on poker business, noting that poker players are largely loyal to their game and not likely to switch to blackjack.

Most poker players are saying that they will stick with their local casino or poker room, instead of driving long ways away to play different types of casino games. One player said, "Even if I were tempted to play blackjack, the drive to the Seminole Casino in Tampa is too far. I'm sticking with poker."

So, although the Seminole casino expansions will increase tourism from out of state gamblers, in state poker players are likely to stick with their local arena.

November 16, 2007
Posted By Tom Jones
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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