Feds Asked To Prosecute Seminoles For Illegal Gambling In Florida

Florida's attorney General, Bill McCollum wants the Seminole Indians to be allowed to offer blackjack and baccarat at their casinos in the state. He just wants it to be done legally.

Fearing that the Seminoles will not negotiate in good faith while they are illegally running the games at their casinos, McCollum has called for Federal law enforcement agencies to begin prosecuting the Seminoles for what he believes to be a complete disregard for Florida law.

"In my constitutional role as Florida's chief legal officer, I am deeply concerned that the tribe (Seminoles) continues to defiantly ignore the decision of the Florida Supreme Court. There can be no dispute that operating banked card games is contrary to Florida law," McCollum wrote in a letter to U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida, A. Brian Albritton.

It is not that McCollum is against the Seminoles offering the card games, he just wants them under a new compact with the state. "Only swift enforcement action will stop the illegal gaming activities and force the Tribe to negotiate with the State of Florida for a valid compact," wrote McCollum.

What he fails to put in his letter is that the Seminoles may be bitter towards the state after they felt they have already negotiated a valid expanded gambling compact with the state. They signed a compact with Governor Charlie Crist last December that would have had the state receiving revenue from the new games already.

That compact, however, was challenged by legislators who did not have a hand in the negotiating process. "What most people do not understand is these legislators are now trying to negotiate a compact that was already in place. There will be not much different from the original when the new compact is signed. Political posturing is the only reason the first compact was put in front of the state Supreme Court," said Kyle Pervey, who has been following negotiations of the new compact.

Legislators and the Seminoles have been negotiating a new compact, but as of yet have been unsuccessful in reaching an agreement. With the Seminoles already running the expanded games at their casinos, there is little incentive on their part to speed up the negotiating process.

December 18, 2008
Posted By Tom Jones
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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