Greg, In spite of what you noted, people flock to the boats in Florida. There is no regulatory body, except the ship's operator, who can set the payouts on the slots at what ever level he wants. I have never encountered a crooked game, to my knowledge, but I'm sure they exist. Last weekend, me & my wife & a Staten Island chipper & his wife, were out on the Princesa. This boat seems to be run like a Vegas operation. Slots seemed to be loose and the table games were run real smoothly. The same is true for the Contessa out of West Palm. I can't recall if I ever won much on any of the SunCruz boats, but I did witness wagering by passengers on the Sega horse racing game while the boat was still at the dock and no casino employee stopped it. Card games are played at the tables as if the folks were at home in their game room. All ships turn on their slot machines when the captain reaches the 3 mile limit. On the way in, an announcement is made that the casino will be closing & the slots are turned off & you have to cash in any credits you might have. I have seen mini-jackpots hit just before the machines go dark. The machine must be turned on again in order to pay the player. This may be a part of what state & county officials are talking about. The solution, IMHO, is to have a county option referendum. If Mickey Mouse County doesn't want casinos, so be it. I would guess that Miami-Dade & Broward counties would vote for full casino gaming, as they did in the past. The Indian poker casinos have no regulations either. The poker games have a $10 maximum pot limit, but I heard that the casino take on the video pull tab machines is as high as 28%!!!! Some day, Florida will get wise & see that the tourist industry needs a shot in the ass, below Orlando.
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