Column: Politicians moving slow on non-Indian gaming in Florida

In the 36 years since, Floridians voted to create a lottery and to allow slot machines at pari-mutuel facilities in Broward and Miami-Dade counties. A variety of public polling indicates voter approval for casinos is at an all-time high throughout Florida. The reasons for the rebound in public perception toward casino-style gaming are easy to spot: Poker has been a popular television draw for 10 years; casinos have been authorized in numerous states, shattering the notion that you have to trek to Las Vegas or Atlantic City to gamble; and it’s now easily understood that a casino equals jobs for the community where it’s built.

So what’s the holdup? As a consultant who examines this subject for an out-of-state entity, I can confirm there is no simple answer to this question. The Legislature is on record as admitting that Florida has a hodgepodge of laws related to gaming, and that they need addressing. How the state proceeds, though, is a subject of great debate.

For starters, you have a portion of an agreement with the Seminole Tribe of Florida that expires in 2015. This key section of the agreement allows table games like blackjack, baccarat and nearly a dozen other card games to be conducted at Seminole facilities in Broward and Hillsborough counties. If this agreement is not renewed, existing table games will be banned immediately. Conversely, changes to state laws governing casino gaming would directly affect payments made to the state by the tribe. Couple that with an already-prevalent pari-mutuel industry that dates as far back as the 1920s, and there are significant factors at play in any discussion about amending gaming laws.