This week’s online gambling news finds that there could be a major confrontation over gambling expansion in Florida. An agreement between the Governor and the Seminole Tribe in the state is being challenged by local politicians who feel the new compact is corrupt, and has been hijacked by special interest. With Tribal casinos now in 30 states (and growing) means that any potential political issues could spread to other states. We’re also covering other Tribal Gaming news as other Tribes have purchased property on the Las Vegas Strip!
Some of you may be asking why we should care about online gambling and politics in Florida. There are currently Tribal casinos spread across 30 American states, with potentially two more on the way. Plus, there is a growing Tribal Gaming presence in Las Vegas. And with Florida being the third largest state by population, what happens there may ripple across the nation.
You may recall that sports betting legislation in Florida just passed a week or so ago. The Governor’s office and the Seminole Tribe entered into a new compact to make this possible. Now, the Mayor of Miami Beach wants the U.S. Department of Interior to put an end to the agreement. The mayor believes the compact is corrupt and has been hijacked by non-tribal gaming interests
The governor challenged the mayor to specifically show which parts of the agreement were ‘corrupt’ and/or ‘hijacked’, but no reply has been forthcoming.
