{"id":10177,"date":"2020-05-22T13:14:21","date_gmt":"2020-05-22T13:14:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onlinepokeramerica.com\/news\/?p=10177"},"modified":"2020-05-22T13:15:41","modified_gmt":"2020-05-22T13:15:41","slug":"hard-rock-seminole-becomes-first-florida-card-room-to-reopen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onlinepokeramerica.com\/news\/hard-rock-seminole-becomes-first-florida-card-room-to-reopen\/","title":{"rendered":"Hard Rock Seminole Becomes First Florida Card Room to Reopen"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Hard Rock opened the Seminole Hard Rock card room on Thursday, running poker games at a max capacity of six players per table.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seminole Becomes First Card Room to Reopen in Florida<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Hard Rock Seminole<\/strong> in Tampa became the first property to open doors and bring back poker to the state, after HRI CEO Jim Allen<\/strong> confirmed previously that the card room would be returning to the regulated market by the end of May. On Thursday<\/strong>, May 21<\/strong>, Hard Rock Seminole welcomed the first patrons at 7 pm local time, with some 1,000 invitees joining the room first, having their pick of table games, poker, and slots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All table games, though, were separated by plexiglass, with the croupiers wearing masks and gloves. The casino only opened at 50% capacity, but it attracted around 5,000 patrons. Poker rooms in some properties in California<\/strong> and South Dakota<\/strong>, for instance, haven\u2019t been so keen to introduce plexiglass dividers, but Seminole has taken all necessary precautions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elsewhere, card rooms have stuck with reducing the number of players, which could hurt interest in the game, as poker is only as good as the pot you are playing for. However, by all estimates, it has been a successful launch for Seminole, with social media and the casino floor buzzing once again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Cards are in the air and poker is officially BACK! As a welcome back to our players, we will be offering a $3 Max rake for the remainder of May! Also during this time, please #TakeTimeToBeKind<\/a> as we all return to updated procedures and the new SAFE & SOUND guidelines. #AllIsOne<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/AbmBU6WdNq<\/a><\/p>— SHRT Poker (@SHRTPoker) May 21, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote>