In Florida, a proposed conference to work out the differences between the House and Senate gambling bills has been rescheduled for this week. The reason given was that lawmakers were in talks with the Seminole Tribe of Florida over its gaming compact. One suggestion making the rounds is to temporarily resolve the issue by passing an agreement that only would address granting the tribe exclusive blackjack rights plus roulette and craps in exchange for billion to the state over seven years.
The two chambers continue to be at odds as they pass the halfway point of the 60-day legislative session. The House bill, H7037, would restrict gambling while the Senate bill, SB8, would allow expansion. The Seminole Tribe said both plans want too much from the tribe for too little in return, and neither would hold up in federal court.
The Senate’s measure would allow eight counties that voted for slots in non-binding referendums to offer them at parimutuels and allow parimutuels to decouple horse or dog racing or jai alai from other gambling. It would allow a decrease in slot taxes and let racinos add blackjack.
The House wants to “erect a firewall against the expansion of gaming in the future,” said state Rep. Mike La Rosa, chair of the Tourism & Gaming Control Subcommittee, adding there would be “no more loopholes. Areas that don’t expand gaming have the most potential for negotiations from our side.”
He added it’s a “very good assumption” that granting slot machines to counties that have approved them by referendum would not pass the House, La Rosa said.
Senate President Bill Galvano wasn’t hopeful. He said, “That position will most likely be a point of contention that will impact the overall negotiations.” He stated he “couldn’t guarantee we’ll ultimately have a final resolution” this year.
However, some court cases working their way through the system could undo certain aspects of any legislation that could come out of the session. For example, a court ruling earlier this year gave the Seminoles tax-free table games until 2030; the state is appealing the decision.
