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Pam Bondi asks court to review gambling initiative

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Attorney General Pam Bondi is asking the state Supreme Court to review a proposed constitutional amendment on gambling. Bondi sent a letter to the court Friday, asking it to judge the initiative’s “validity.” The request, however, is pro forma. It’s required under law when an initiative garners enough signatures. As of Friday, the Voter Control of Gambling amendment had 73,810 valid signatures toward the requirement of 683,149 signatures. It’s aiming to get on the 2018 statewide ballot. The language would “ensure that Florida voters shall have…

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Seminole Compact dies (again) in Florida Legislature

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The Florida House of Representatives “temporarily postponed” consideration of this year’s troubled gambling legislation, suggesting last-minute whip counts showed a lack of votes to pass the bills. Friday’s move signals that any possibility of legislative approval of the state’s new gambling agreement, or compact, with the Seminole Tribe of Florida is dead for the session, which ends next Friday. The Senate had already given up on it: The compact “will be for another day, and for somebody else to handle,” President Andy…

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Senate gambling legislation appears dead for 2016 Session

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Tom Lee, chair of the Senate’s Appropriations Committee, on Tuesday said the chamber’s gambling bills wouldn’t be heard at the panel’s meeting. Lee, a Brandon Republican, made the announcement as the meeting was about to begin, but didn’t get into details. With committees generally unable to meet after Tuesday, the 50th day of the Legislative Session, the Senate’s gambling legislation and the proposed Seminole Compact appear dead for 2016. Lee did say it was up to state Sen. Rob Bradley, the…

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Senate budget chief Tom Lee adds gaming bills to Appropriations Cmte. agenda

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Senate budget chair Tom Lee has added a pair of potentially momentous gaming bills to the Appropriations Committee’s agenda for its meeting next week, set for Tuesday, March 1. SB 7072 would expand slot machines beyond South Florida and reduce the effective tax rate on the machines. It would allow slots in six counties where voters already have approved the form of gambling in a local referendum – namely Brevard, Gadsden, Hamilton, Lee, Palm Beach, and Washington –  but would also allow…

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House panel approves raft of gaming bills

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The House Regulatory Affairs Committee approved a trio of bills that could reshape Florida’s gaming industry, mainly by ratifying a newly renegotiated compact with the Seminole Tribe of Florida and by separating pari-mutuel racing from the card games which have come to dominate those facilities. A panel passed all three bills sponsored by its Chairman Rep. Jose Felix “Pepi” Diaz by narrow majorities and with defections from Diaz’s fellow members of the GOP majority. The committee passed bills to give necessary…

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No Casinos jump-starts anti-gambling campaign with $195K check

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Anti-gambling group No Casinos Inc. launched a new political committee late last month and jump-started its fundraising with a $195,000 check. Voters in Charge paperwork reached state elections officials Oct. 21 and the contribution followed two days later. The committee is chaired by No Casinos President John Sowinski and Abby Dupree is listed as the treasurer, a title she also holds for Let’s Get to Work, the committee supporting Gov. Rick Scott. The committee was formed to back a 2018…

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As gamblers shun stingier slots, casinos shake things up

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Move aside one-armed bandits. The casino floor is making room for game zones with oversized popping dice, digital spinning Big Six wheels and virtual roulette, with an eye on adding arcade-style video games in the not-so-distant future. As gamblers appear to be shunning stingier slot machines that don’t offer as many payouts, game-makers and casinos are keen on coming up with the next big thing to keep people playing. The changing casino floor will be on display this week at…

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