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Florida Free Poker Tournaments May be Illegal

TAMPA, Florida – As reported by the Tampa Tribune: "A poker tournament promotion sweeping local bars is a free, legal pastime - or an unlawful gambling enterprise.

"To David Roberts, director of the Florida Division of Parimutuel Wagering, the Texas hold 'em games are illegal gambling capitalizing on the popularity of poker. `It's clear in the gambling statute,' Roberts said.

"To Pinellas County sheriff's detectives, however, the barroom tournaments are lawful.

"`The participants are not putting up any money to play, which makes it a legal game,' said Tim Goodman, a spokesman for the sheriff's office. Detectives investigated the tournaments at several locations.

"What constitutes gambling is at the core of the disagreement.

"…The Texas hold 'em tournaments, such as the one Wednesday at Prime Time Sports Grill on North Dale Mabry Highway in Carrollwood and those at a dozen other local bars last week, were free to participants. No cover charge or mandatory drink purchase was required.

"Led by the Tag Team Poker franchise, launched locally in December by Clark Holloman, of St. Petersburg, the tournaments award gift certificates provided by the host establishment to first-, second- and third-place finishers.

"…All other players finish the tournament with the same amount of money they invested: none.

"Bar operators, who have benefited from drawing as many as 90 customers to their establishments on what usually are their slow nights, view the games as a good way to drum up business. The bar pays Holloman's company a flat rate to run the game.

"…As of Friday, the division of parimutuel wagering had received no formal complaints about the local barroom poker tournaments.

"But racetrack executives at Tampa Bay Downs in Tampa and Derby Lane in St. Petersburg, which host state-regulated, low-stakes poker games, have voiced concerns about the free bar games to the state…"

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