TAMPA - 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.
``There are mutations of the definition'' of gambling, said Bruce Bartlett, chief assistant state attorney for
the Pinellas- Pasco Circuit.
``Prize-chance-consideration is always a factor,'' he said. ``I am unaware of any cases referred to our
office about these tournaments. Without looking at a case individually, I can't make a determination.''
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.
The certificates usually are about $30, $20 and $10, respectively.
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.
``Without the Lightning, this fills the void,'' said Prime Time Sports Grill general manager Steve Craine,
referring to the canceled hockey season. Craine's establishment has hosted poker nights since January.
``It's better than being empty. We've never done any [promotion] that had a consistent turnout like this,''
Craine said. ``Our first night with it was so successful, we added a second game each week.''
At Prime Time on Wednesday, two tournament directors gave 59 players - eight women and 51 men - a
signal to start dealing at 8 p.m. They kept the games moving smoothly until about 11:30, when a winner
emerged.
Servers stayed busy delivering drinks to players and food to those eliminated. About 25 nonplaying
patrons sat on the other side of the sports bar.
The games had the feel of a high-stakes Las Vegas casino event. Players were fiddling with their chips
and sitting shoulder-to-shoulder for hours at real poker tables, which replaced the usual dining room
seating.
Missing from the Vegas- style scene was cash. The no- risk games are a major attraction for players.
``I like the atmosphere, and it's free,'' said Derrick Williams, 22, of Carrollwood, ``I play here, at Champs
[in Tampa], at Boomerz in St. Pete. I just love the game. I'd play seven nights a week like this if I could.''
Like all the Prime Time patrons asked about the tournament Wednesday night, Williams said he did not
consider it gambling.
``It's just for fun, and I live close,'' said Byron Clark, 66, a regular player at Prime Time.
Tracks Cry Foul
Florida Statute 849.08 states: ``... whoever plays or engages in any game at cards, keno, roulette, faro or
other game of chance, at any place, by any device whatever, for money or other thing of value, shall be
guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree.''
Roberts, of the parimutuel division, said: ``The laws are you can't play for any winnings except in a penny
ante home game or a licensed parimutuel facility. Whether there is money being wagered or not is
irrelevant.''
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.
``If these things were legal, I'd be looking at trying them on days when the state closes our poker room,''
said Peter Berube, vice president of Tampa Bay Downs, whose Silks card room employs 55 people.
``I asked the state for permission to do it and was told, `No way,' '' said Greg Gelyon, the track's
controller.
Berube said the track's Tallahassee lobbyist, Ken Plante, is preparing a presentation on the issue for
Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist.
Track officials said the lack of state oversight of the barroom tournaments leaves them open to cheating
and fights.
``In our small [16-table] card room we have 24 cameras and trained dealers,'' Gelyon said. ``With no
oversight, these bar games, at a minimum, are headed toward people making side bets and getting into
fights.
``And the tournaments have huge potential to impact our business.''
Nationwide Phenomenon
In December, Clark Holloman became the first franchisee for Tag Team Poker, whose parent company is
based in Atlanta.
His territory covers the Tampa Bay market, which he thinks ``could support 80 tournaments per week.''
At least 19 locations had signed up to host weekly tournaments as of Friday, according to Tag Team
Poker's Web site.
Other Tag Team Poker events are being marketed in Atlanta, North Carolina and New York.
Poker tournaments without government regulation have popped up across the country during the past two
years, mirroring the explosive growth of televised no-limit Texas hold 'em poker on cable TV.
In Minnesota, a weekly tournament at a St. Cloud bowling alley was raided in July by the state's alcohol
and gaming enforcement division.
The local county attorney did not press charges.
Holloman said he is confident that his local operation will stand up under the scrutiny of Florida law
enforcement and state agencies.
``I know we have had officers at our games watching what we do,'' Holloman said. ``It's really just for
fun.''
Meg Shannon, a spokeswoman for Florida's Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, would not
comment on whether her agency has investigated bars participating in Holloman's promotion.
Debbie Carter, spokeswoman for the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, said Thursday that her
department ``had not heard of or looked into'' the tournaments.
Shannon said that if a bar was determined to be hosting unlawful gambling, ``administrative action'' would
be taken against the establishment.''
According to Florida code, the fine for a first offense is $250 per type of unlawful game. A fourth offense
requires revocation of a liquor license.
``I was concerned about the laws, but I checked it out and it's OK,'' said Ed Hibbert, owner of L.A.
Hangout in Lutz, which draws about 50 players for its weekly game.
``We make sure there is no side betting going on,'' Hibbert said. ``But that's not a problem. All the players
seem to like that there is no money involved.''
Several local tournament players and bar owners said the poker tournaments would be successful even
without prizes for the winners.
``They are not really playing for anything now,'' said Dave Bolan, manager of A.J.'s Sports Bar & Grill in
Largo.
``We've done trivia games, but people got tired of that quickly. The poker, I've never seen anything like
it.
``We've grown every week. We started about 20 players per week. Now we're up to 80.''
Reporter Steven Isbitts can be reached at (727) 451-2336.