Live poker enjoys major renewal
Pub Date: 8/1/2005
By Bob Phillips
for the Montana Tavern Times
Live poker, once believed moribund and almost in its death throes in Montana, is enjoying a powerful resurgence not only in this state but across the nation--due primarily to the wildly popular World Series of Poker on ESPN as well as other televised poker games.
Suddenly, people of all ages--men, women, cowboys, hippies, white collar businessmen, blue collar laborers, cooks, attorneys, teachers, grad students, janitors and folks of just about any imaginable description are sitting around tables at taverns and casinos and trying their luck at Texas Hold 'Em and other poker games, say those who follow the trends.
Miles City tavern owner John Tooke, owner of the Golden Spur, runs a table at his establishment and also serves on the state's Gaming Advisory Council, which works under the auspices of the Montana Legislature and the Montana Department of Justice's Gambling Control Division.
Tooke used to run a game about six years ago, but shut it down after a successful run of about the same length.
"And at that particular time, poker was dying," says Tooke.
No longer, he adds.
The World Series of Poker has reignited interest in live poker in a major way, he says. The oft-colorful characters who play, the intrigue and tension as betting takes place, and the televised visual aids clearly showing each player's cards and odds of winning, have combined to capture the imagination of millions of players, former players and novice players nationwide.
"There's an awful lot more potential players, and there's an awful lot of people who want to play, and quite frankly, there are an awful lot of people who think they're world beaters, ready for the World Series," says Tooke.
Statewide, the number of licensed poker tables declined from a high of 274 in 1993 to just 187 in 2002, according to Montana Department of Revenue figures. The last three years, however, that number has increased to 199, 240 and 358 tables.
The number of licensed poker dealers has jumped even more dramatically. The previous record high was 459 dealers in 1995, but that dwindled to just 224 in 2000. But in 2004 there were 459, and last year, 628 dealers across Montana.
In fact, the process of licensing poker dealers is one of a number of live poker issues that will be addressed at the next meeting of the Gambling Advisory Council in October, Tooke says.
The state may need to "ramp up" keeping track of all the licensed dealers, who often get temporary permits, to ensure they follow up and obtain standard permits, he says.
"Obviously, the television exposure has caused an exponential growth in poker, and that's a great thing. But we just have to have the poker laws keep up with the game and the players and the popularity," says Tooke.
Other issues needing to be addressed involve poker tournaments and pot limits, he adds.
A lot of confusion exists over what is and what isn't allowed in poker tournaments--for instance, it's currently illegal to run successive qualifying tournaments such as those in the World Series of Poker, while charity tournaments cannot legally used licensed dealers.
Some of those rules may need minor adjustments, Tooke says.
As far as pot limits go, Tooke says, "That's really a moot point when you're dealing 400 hands at 300 dollars a hand."
He admits, however, that "there's certainly some discussion on raising the pot limits on live poker.
"It's conceivable that it should be raised some, but I'm concerned about busting players. The last thing you want to do is bust your players. That quickly cancels a lot of positives."
Tooke has a little inside knowledge of the game himself. His father was a professional poker dealer, and he has a good grasp of how to run a game right, and fairly.
He also understands what can go wrong, and how bad dealers can destroy the integrity of the game.
"What's most important from a public policy standpoint and from a business standpoint, is that the integrity of the game be preserved," says Tooke.
The Gambling Control Division and the Gambling Advisory Council need to take a close look at how live poker is being managed, he says, to ensure that it is properly administered and that management and administrative tools keep up with its growth.
"This could be a great boon for the hospitality industry in Montana, but it will only be so if the public is confident in its fairness," Tooke says
Source: The Montana Tavern Times, August, 2005, published monthly by Continental Communications, 800-406-5698, 125 W. Granite St., Suite 102, Butte, MT 59701.