Florida Poker Law Beckons Georgia Players

Canada Cal, subbing for Haley, who was last reported attempting to trim the nosehairs of the Abe Lincoln visage at Mount Rushmore...

Being up here in the northern climes of Thunder Bay, where Lake Superior is that big pile of wetness to the south, I plumb forgot to mention the passing of the new Florida poker bill a week or so ago.

It's important to mention because so much of the Kick Ass Poker readership hails from Georgia, which in terms of Florida, is that state just to the north. And while Florida had been the site of the closest 'publicly legal' poker games for the vast majority of Georgia's residents, Florida had served up nothing but baby poker, fixed-limit games at stakes so small that not even the best player could outrun the house rake. One may as well have played the nickel slots and stared at the flashing lights.

All that's changed now, with Florida willing to allow at least a little bit of real poker to occur. The new law will allow for a maximum required buy-in of $100, which if I read it right means that players can buy in for more, but no tables will be allowed where a minimum buy-in is $200 or $500 or some such. Tournaments with similar buy-ins will also be allowed, meaning that it's --gasp!-- real poker in Florida.

So plan that bus trip soon, oh Georgia readers. Open, legal, cash-game poker just moved a couple of hundred miles closer. The new law goes into effect July 1.