Jun 22, 2008 8:39 pm US/Eastern
Blackjack Arrives At Seminole Hard Rock Casino
Crowds Pack Casino For Table Games Never Before Allowed In Florida
First Hands Dealt At 6:21 PM Sunday
HOLLYWOOD (CBS4) ―
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The tables were packed at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood Sunday afternoon, as Blackjack was played legally for the first time in the Sunshine state.
Shomari Stone/CBS
One of the most popular casino games in the world has arrived at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, the first time Blackjack has ever been allowed to be played, legally, in the Sunshine state.
As of Sunday at 6:21 p.m. gamblers got to try their luck at Blackjack and Baccarat, games which had previously been against the law in Florida. Of the 71 new card tables at the native-owned casino, most will seat Blackjack players, but there will be a few for Baccarat and several variations of poker, including Pai Gow Poker, Let It Ride and Three Card Poker.
A host of celebrities took part in a huge event leading up to the first hands being dealt. Most of those with first crack at the tables were VIPs or celebrities, but average gamblers flocked to the Hard Rock to await their turn.
These will be the first legal games of Blackjack and other "banked" card games in the state of Florida, even though the games were common on controversial off-shore gambling cruises which traveled just outside the US border where gambling laws did not apply.
Most cruise ships leaving Florida also offer full casinos, but for landlubbers, the only choice for gambling has been slot machines operating in Broward county and approved in Miami-Dade county.
Banked card games are those in which players compete against the house. They are now allowed exclusively at the Seminole tribe's seven Florida casinos under a deal signed in November by Gov. Charlie Crist and Seminole Tribe chairman Mitchell Cypress in November, 2007.
The compact was approved by the U.S. Department of the Interior in January of 2008. At that time, the Tribe made an initial $50 million payment to the State of Florida, part of the $100 million due to State in the first year of the compact.
Since then, the Seminole Tribe has made ongoing monthly payments to the State of Florida, while introducing Las Vegas-style slot machines at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos in Hollywood and Tampa, as well as at the Seminole Casino Coconut Creek and the original Seminole Casino Hollywood.
"With the introduction of Blackjack and the other card games, Las Vegas-style casinos will now be at the doorstep of the residents of Florida," said James Allen, Seminole Gaming CEO. "Floridians won't have to go to Las Vegas or Atlantic City to play their favorite casino games."
"This is a first for the State of Florida and will capture the attention of visitors looking for gaming," said Nikki Grossman, President of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau."
Blackjack and other card games will be launched at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa late in 2008. No dates have been announced for the launch of Blackjack at the other Seminole Casinos.
Players must be 21 years old.
About Blackjack and the New Card Games Blackjack – Also known as "21," Blackjack is a traditional card game where the object is to draw cards that total 21 or come closer to 21 than the dealer. All cards count at face value, while the King, Queen and Jack count as 10, and the Ace which counts as either 1 or 11. It is the most popular of casino card games in the United States.
Baccarat – There are only two main decisions to make in the game - how much to bet and whether to bet on the Bank or on the Player. All cards count at face value. Ace equals one. All tens and face cards, count as zero. The object of the game of Baccarat is to wager whether the Banker's hand or the Player's hand will have a higher value than the other.
Mini-Baccarat – Played the same as Baccarat, but on a smaller table.
Pai Gow Poker – Pai Gow Poker combines elements of the ancient Chinese Game of Pai Gow and the American game of poker. The game is played with a traditional deck of 52 playing cards plus one joker. To win, a two-card and must rank higher than an opponent's two-card hand and a five-card hand must rank higher than an opponent's five-card hand.
Let it Ride – Known for its potential for high payouts, Let It Ride was designed to offer players an opportunity to control two of their three bets wagered. It is based on the five card stud poker game. The object of Let It Ride is to make the best five card hand.
Three Card Poker – In this variation of poker, each player and the dealer receives three cards. The object of the game is to beat the dealer's hand. Players may also wager that their three card hand may contain a pair or better.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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