TALLAHASSEE - Horse and dog track owners are pushing new legislation that would allow
them to operate their poker rooms when they aren't running races.
The change would allow the card rooms to generate income during periods when they would
otherwise have to be closed, and cash in on the surging popularity of poker, executives with
parimutuel facilities said.
``There's a huge demand for the card rooms,'' said Vera Filipelli, a spokeswoman for Derby
Lane in St. Petersburg. ``This would be a good thing for us.''
Horse and dog tracks are allowed to operate their poker rooms only during live racing, under
current law. Derby Lane, for instance, is closed several months a year and can't open its card
rooms during those times.
The Senate Regulated Industries Committee approved the bill 7-2 on Monday after no
debate. There is not an identical House bill, but sponsor Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port
Richey, said he hopes to tack on the language to another House bill before the session ends.
``We're not expanding gambling. It's already there,'' Fasano said in an interview.
It's unclear how much the change could increase profits for horse and dog tracks across
Florida. State budget analysts estimated that the change would generate an additional
$500,000 in tax revenue.
By comparison, in 2003 state officials estimated that tax collections would increase by
$870,000 when lawmakers raised poker pot limits at such venues to $2 a bet with three
raises.
Poker is hot across the nation, its fan base stoked by television, the Internet and the
potential for big money. In Florida, card rooms - which often feature Texas hold 'em, Omaha
and seven-card stud - have revived the struggling horse and dog track industry, which has
lobbied for years to expand gambling as a means to survive.
Like many parimutuel facilities across the state, the poker rooms drive many of the business
decisions at the St. Petersburg track.
Derby Lane added races on Sunday just so it could open the poker rooms, Filipelli said. It's
the first time in years the facility has offered races on Sunday.
Not everybody is betting the expansion of poker rooms is a good thing.
The National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling, a nonprofit organization that lobbied
against the expansion of slots in South Florida, said poker has replaced Internet gambling as
the No. 1 cause of gambling addiction.
``Poker has become the new gateway drug,'' said David Robertson, a spokesman for the
group. ``It's frightening, and it's frightening that the state could consider expanding the poker
rooms around the state.''