Author: Matt Pelc | Article Posted at: March 31, 09 - 12:41 pm

Florida Looks to Expand Reach of Casinos and Lower Age

Need another reason to pick Florida as your favorite vacation destination? The Sunshine State has boasted hundreds of miles of golden beaches, scores of theme parks to keep the young ones, or the inner-young one, happy, but one thing that has been lacking has been a thriving casino industry in the state.

This could soon change as well as who can gamble.

The Florida State Senate is mulling over a proposal to expand the scope of legalized games within the state. Several Seminole resorts currently welcome gamers trying to cool off from the hot Florida sun or escape the massive lines for the Dumbo ride. But the Seminole resorts offer a limited plate of games and activities.

If a state Senate committee has its way, this will change. They would allow the Seminoles to expand their operations to full casinos which would boast the likes of craps, high stake poker, roulette and blackjack.

The bill, if passed, would also allow South Florida racetracks to be able to offer blackjack tables to their patrons.

Perhaps the most controversial and interesting measure of the bill would be to streamline Florida’s law on gambling for those under 21. Current law says that an 18-year old in the state of Florida may bet on the horses or dogs and play poker, however it is illegal for said person to play blackjack, baccarat or slots.

Enacting the reduced age would get existing and future Florida casinos a leg up on Las Vegas and Atlantic City, the two largest gambling areas in the United States, where the minimum age for betting is 21.

The bill makes sense in that a large chunk of Florida’s tourist dollars, the biggest revenue stream for the state, is made from February through April each year when colleges take Spring Break. Luring college students into casinos may have lawmakers salivating at the possible new revenue streams.

But some are not sold on the new provision. The University of South Florida released a study last week showing that college students are especially susceptible to gambling addiction. The age bracket of 18-to-24 is four times as likely as any other age group to become a habitual gamer. The study sites the surge in popularity in online gambling and high-stakes poker, most notably Texas Hold ‘Em because of the frequency the event is televised.