Florida Senate, House Gambling Bills ‘Far Apart’

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“Obviously, the Senate is going to have to come toward the House position and the House is going to have to come toward the Senate position, and where that middle ground is is still a guessing game to all of us. But the fact that we have two leaders willing to try and hammer this out is something that’s making us all hopeful,” said lobbyist Nick Iarossi, who represents dog tracks in Jacksonville and Melbourne.

The additional pressure of the litigation also buoyed the industry’s hopes, Iarossi said.

“The House and Senate are both tired of the court dictating what the gaming environment in the state looks like,” Iarossi said.

But House Speaker Richard Corcoran told reporters late Thursday any potential gambling deal has “a long, long way to go.”

“It’s a heavy lift. There’s a reason it hasn’t been passed in decades. But this is the first time that anyone probably could recall where you have two bills moving,” Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes, said.

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3/30/2017

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