Florida Gaming Regulations: An Endlessly Shifting Puzzle
In Florida, some things remain constant: high humidity, an older population, and costly Palm Beach real estate.
However, the state's gambling laws are not part of this category, and they've become a continuous flow of new amendments and conflicts with existing laws.
The gambling laws of Florida will eventually change.
There's simply too much to consider: the Seminole Tribe's agreement needs to be renewed, there's the dispute over allowing resort-style casinos in the state, and the idea of giving more gambling authority to horse and dog racing tracks.
On Wednesday, a bill originally intended to extend parts of the current compact with the Seminoles for another year was transformed into a more comprehensive piece of gaming legislation due to the addition of amendments. This bill was initially proposed by Senate Regulated Industries Chairman Rob Bradley (R-Fleming Island).
The Original Bill: Just an Extension of the Seminole Tribe's Compact
At first, Bradley's bill (SB 7088) aimed to only extend the five-year agreement between the Seminole Tribe and the state of Florida for another year. This agreement expires on July 1, and Bradley hoped that this measure would provide more time for the state to negotiate with the tribe. This would ensure that the Seminoles would hold exclusive rights to operate blackjack and other card games at their establishments for another year.
But over a two-hour meeting, Bradley's committee dramatically changed this seemingly simple bill, adding proposals related to Florida's gambling landscape. State senators altered the bill to allow greyhound tracks to offer games like poker and slot machines, even if they ceased holding races.
Another senator then proposed that jai-alai frontons and horse racing tracks could also provide these gambling options.
"This is what's good for the goose is good for the gander," said Senator Oscar Braynon (D-Miami Gardens). "If we're doing it for one, we should do it for all."
That amendment passed the committee by a 7-5 vote. Another approved amendment mandated that 10% of slot revenues at new racetrack casinos, known as "racinos," would be used to subsidize purses at Tampa Bay Downs.
Final Bill May Vary from Committee Proposal
In the end, the overall bill (amendments included) passed through the committee by a 7-5 vote.
However, Bradley, who intended for this to be a limited piece of legislation, was amongst the five Senators who voted against it.
Nevertheless, he acknowledged that the passed version of the bill might not end up being the bill approved by the full Senate this session.
"I would suspect that if we have a gaming bill come out of the Senate, it will look probably a bit different than what you saw come out of this committee today," Bradley said. "What you see is a few elements that continue to be in play."
Meanwhile, State House Majority Leader Dana Young's (R-Hillsborough County) proposal to allow two resort casinos in Broward and Miami-Dade counties was scaled back. Despite this, the resorts are expected to be added back into the bill through an amendment that would require voters or county commissions in those counties to authorize adding these resorts.
Young's bill would also revoke dormant parimutuel permits and prevent any new parimutuel permits from being issued in the state.
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