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Efforts to expand gambling in the Sunshine state have picked up steam this week. Committees in both the House and Senate have approved bills dealing with dog tracks and slot machines. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, the deal with the Seminole Tribe remains a wildcard.

The gaming deal with the Seminoles didn’t come easy. In the end the Tribe got 20 years exclusivity for slot machines except in Miami Dade and Broward Counties. They also got black jack and other banked card games for just five years. The card deal ends July first.

Senator Bill Galvano negotiated the first deal. He says a renewal is in limbo. “And we could never really get an answer in terms of what’s its worth to the Seminole tribe of Florida to maintain those baked card games for the balance of the compact for an additional fifteen years.”

On Thursday, a House committee approved a gaming bill calling for a vote in Miami Dade and Broward counties on resort casinos. Lawmakers would still have to act in the end. Rep. Dana Young (R-Tampa) sponosred the original legislation that was amended to call for the vote.  “It just kinda tells Miami Dade and Broward that if they’d like to do a referendum before we approve destination resorts, than make you will known to the legislature that we welcome it” says Young.

Q:”So you sound confident they’ll get approved?”

“Ah, I am not confident on anything dealing with gaming.”

The destination casinos and slot machines for dog tracks in Palm Beach and Lee counties that are in the house bill are both potential violations of the compact with the tribe…some say they are leverage.

Lawmakers did shoot down the idea of dispensing lottery tickets at gas pumps.

While the seminole tribe is spending thousands running TV spots seeking a deal renewal, talks are virtually no existent in what is shaping up as a game of chicken at the legisaltive sessions end.

If the State and the Seminole Tribe do not reach a deal by July first, the tribe would have 90 days to stop dealing black jack and other card games.