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Sponsors of legislation that would bring three casino resorts to South Florida say their bill doesn’t expand gaming. They held a news conference Thursday to explain how adding three casinos isn’t a gaming expansion. Senate Sponsor Ellyn Bogdanoff says the bill reduces gaming by establishing a regulatory board to oversee gambling businesses.

“Our goal here in terms of this bill is not about the expansion of gaming. As a matter of fact we hope that this will actually reduce gaming in the state, but what it is about is creating a strategic direction for gaming,” said Bogdanoff.

Bogdanoff says without a regulatory board gaming has been expanding with no oversight. One example is the state’s 1000 internet cafes. When asked why not just support efforts to reduce gaming through legislation that doesn’t add the casinos, Bogdanoff told reporters those efforts aren’t likely to pass.