Florida House Gambling Bill Gets OK As Questions Remain

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HOUSE GAMBLING BILL GETS OK AS QUESTIONS REMAIN

By DARA KAM
THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

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THE CAPITAL, TALLAHASSEE, March 21, 2017……… A key House committee Tuesday approved a gambling measure aimed at creating a new agreement with the Seminole Tribe, though a tribe representative recently called the proposal a “non-starter” and major differences remain with the Senate.

The proposal (HB 7037) would continue to allow the tribe to have exclusive rights to operate “banked” card games, such as blackjack, at five of its casinos. In exchange, the Seminoles would have to guarantee $3 billion in payments to the state — earmarked mainly for education — over seven years.

Despite the House Ways and Means Committee’s 11-7 vote in favor of the legislation, the proposed agreement remains troubled.

The Seminoles have objected that it is unlikely the U.S. Department of the Interior, which must sign off on gambling-related agreements between tribes and states, would approve the deal. And the Senate is expected to approve a bill next week that would be much more friendly to the pari-mutuel industry.