No Casino’s Bashes Seminole Compact, Plans Challenges
January 19th, 2016 by Mike VasilindaGovernor Rick Scott’s deal to extend the gambling deal with the Seminole tribe gets it’s first legislative hearing on Wednesday. The tribe is out with a new statewide TV buy to push the deal, but as Mike Vasilinda tells us, the Compact picked up stiff opposition from No Casino’s Inc today.
The Gambling deal is being heralded in television ads as an economic savior.
“New jobs for Floridians. Record revenue for the State. Keeping Florida family friendly” says one of two ads currently airing statewide.
But the three billion dollar deal has picked up stiff opposition from No Casino’s Inc.
President John Sowinski says industry studies show money spent gambling isn’t spent elsewhere.
“Money spent in a casino is money not spent in a restaurant, a movie theatre, bar or some other form of entertainment” says Sowinski.
No casinos contends this graphic says it all. The Seminole deal would expand gambling, lead to more slots, black jack and trouble.
“It allows South Florida Pari mutuals to have blackjack. It allows historic racing machines, which look like slot machines, in other parimutuels throughout the state” says Sowinski.
“Right now, the math isn’t working in No Casinos’s favor. A third of the legislature has a parimutuel in their district. And another third wants more gambling.”
The other third wants no expansion.
And If No casino’s can’t win in the legislature, it promises a legal attack at the Supreme Court. The Court has agreed to decided if rural Gadsden County can have slots at a horse track after voters said yes in 2012.
“A vote in Gasden County could well change what the state can and can not do as it relates to the Seminole Compact” says Sowinski.
And if they fail in the courts, No Casino’s is promising a 2018 ballot initiative. It would outlaw all gambling but horse and dog track racing retroactively.
The anti gambling group also says it will oppose legalizing betting on fantasy football and other fantasy sports leagues.
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