The Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering found serious irregularities occurred at a poker tournament at Hialeah Park in August. Regulators investigated the facility and found 11 violations after players complained that the prize pool was severely short, according to a Miami Herald report. The incident was the first since poker was legalized in 1996 in Florida, which has about 30 poker rooms.
The December 29 report stated indicated tournament staff let players enter the event without paying for a buy-in. The event attracted about 1,000 players, but no official number was released. One player said staff reported 1,061 entries but later that was reduced to 961. The $250 buy-in had a $200,000 guarantee.
In addition, the investigation found Hialeah poker staff put some players at specific seats rather than randomly determining their table draw. Former poker room manager Nelson Costa kept tournament money in his office, rather than in the cage, the state report said, adding surveillance video did not properly cover parts of the poker room and that video was not preserved.
Also the poker room allegedly did not keeping the required three years of tournament records. Results of the six-day August tournament never were released.
Hialeah Park has until January to file an appeal. The property, which operates the most lucrative poker room in Miami-Dade County, could be fined or have its license suspended.
