Florida House Wasting Time By Passing Seminole Gambling Bill

Legislators in the Florida House have been discussing a Seminole gambling Bill that would strip the Seminoles of blackjack games they are currently running. On Tuesday, the House passed the Bill even though they have little chance to get the Bill through the Senate.

Much of the precious time that House lawmakers have spent this legislative session has been on the issue of casino gambling in the state. The governor, the Senate, and the Seminole tribe have all backed a plan and are pushing for gambling expansion, yet the House astoundingly has passed a Bill that would strip down casino gambling in the state.

Why the Seminoles would ever agree to this sort of gambling Bill is a question that is weighing on many people's minds in Florida. after the House passed their Bill on Tuesday, the outrage was evident.

"It seems illogical that the House has spent this much time on something that has no chance of being accepted not only by the Seminoles, but also by the Senate," said observer Franklin Gregory, "Why don't they (House) understand that expansion is going to be the only outcome the Senate and the Seminoles will accept?"

The Senate has passed a Bill that would not only allow for the Seminoles to have blackjack, but also roulette and craps. In essence, the Bill would bring full fledged gambling to the state.

Governor Charlie Crist has already signed a compact with the Seminoles allowing them to offer blackjack. The compact, however, was voided by the Florida Supreme Court who ruled that the governor did not have the authority to negotiate the compact.

The issue has now been lingering since late in 2007, and another session is concluding with not much progress being made between what the House wants and what the Senate is proposing. The Seminoles, meanwhile, continue to offer the blackjack games and have no intentions of stopping them any time soon.

April 21, 2009
Posted By Tom Jones
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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