A recent poll indicated half of Florida voters do not support candidates who would bring Las Vegas-style gambling to the state. In addition, nearly two-thirds of those polled support amending the state constitution to require voters statewide to approve new casinos.
Commissioned by the Orlando-based No Casinos in Florida group, the poll sampled 604 likely voters for the 2014 election. The Republican-oriented polling firm, Hill Research Consultants, counts former Governor Jeb Bush and retired U.S. Senator Bob Graham among its clients.
The poll also reported 75 percent of voters said they disagreed that more gambling in Florida would improve the state’s quality of life, and 63 percent said loopholes in gambling laws must be closed to prevent expanded gambling.
No Casinos President John Sowinski said, “It is good public policy and smart politics to be against the expansion of gambling in Florida.” State Senator Garrett Richter, chairman of the Senate Gaming Committee, noted that when it comes to gambling, “There’s no consensus on which direction to go. Without that it makes any issue a lot more challenging, especially the more people that have differing opinions.”
