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Florida has been experiencing such a boom in poker since legislation passed earlier this year to allow for high stakes cash games and tournaments that it has attracted the attention of Time Magazine. The well respected magazine recently published an article posing the question, "Is Florida the Next Las Vegas?" and signs are to yes.
Poker's biggest organizations have already begun to move into the fertile market. The World Poker Tour (WPT) has announced a $10,000 buy-in event for April and the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Circuit has announced a stop for February. Both events are already attracting a lot of attention and turn out is expected to high.
According to Time's author Thomas Collins, the growth of poker throughout Florida has not only benefited big named casinos but also horse racing tracks, greyhound tracks, and jai alai arenas which have expanded their poker room offerings. New outlets for poker alone are expected to bring in over $1 billion in state revenue which is great news for the struggling Florida economy.
Collins cautions players from getting too excited however. He said that it may be a bit early to expect to see Florida compete against such giants as Las Vegas. He points out that many Florida tourist attractions such as Walt Disney World and Universal Studios cater to families and that gaming isn't major part of the recent rise in tourism.
 Florida Politicians were especially doubtful that Florida will become a gambling mecca. State Representative Bill Galvano, was quoted as saying, "The state's just so diverse, so a Vegas-style scenario is not a natural progression," and State Representative Jim Waldman said, "I don't think you're going to have another Vegas. What you're going to have are more options for people who want to gamble in Florida."
So far, poker players have been very pleased with Florida's change in legislation. Poker Pro Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi is quoted as saying, "(The new laws are) a dream come true. There's nothing better than playing poker with beaches," and message boards have been buzzing with news of Florida's growing poker scene.
The one-year anniversary of Florida's new poker laws won't arrive until April but already the positive results of the change have become apparent.
As always, stay tuned to Casinofan.com for more news and updates.
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