Florida Governor Rick Scott recently met with Seminole Gaming Chief Executive Officer Jim Allen, General Counsel Jim Shore and other officials about the outlook for a gaming compact with the Seminole Tribe of Florida. “We’ll continue to look at what the right thing is for the state of Florida. We’ll be looking at what we do next. The legislature didn’t pass it last year. So we’ll continue to work with legislators, and see what their interests are.”
The state and tribe negotiated a compact in 2010 that included a provision granting the tribe exclusive rights to offer blackjack for five years, in exchange for revenue sharing of more than $200 million a year. That provision expired last year. At that time, Scott and tribal representatives negotiated a new arrangement for continued rights to blackjack in exchange for $3 billion over seven years. The deal also would have allowed the tribe to offer craps and roulette. But the proposed compact did not make it to the House or Senate for a floor vote.
Recently, Senate President Joe Negron said he supports the proposed compact, as well as local initiatives to allow slot machines, which are seen as expanding gambling. House Speaker Richard Corcoran said, “We’re a very conservative chamber, and if something is going to pass it will have to be conservative. It’s going to have to be a reduction in gambling.” Still, Negron stated, “I’m optimistic that we can work together with our colleagues in the House and ratify a compact so the state has predictability in revenue.”
However, the state lost significant negotiating power after federal Judge Robert Hinkle recently ruled the tribe can continue to offer blackjack and other “banked card games” without having share revenue. Hinkle determined the state broke the original deal by allowing electronic blackjack at certain cardrooms. As a result, the tribe can offer blackjack at five of its seven casinos until 2030.
