Among the proposals to be taken up in this session by the Florida legislature will be three Senate bills that would allow two billion resort casinos—one each in Broward and Miami-Dade counties, depending on a voter referendum.
The proposal also would allow slot machines at dog and horse racetracks in Palm Beach and Lee counties and at a rodeo track in Gadsden County, and establish a new Department of Gaming Control, overseen by a five-member board appointed by the governor. The measures also allow the state’s 13 greyhound tracks to reduce the number of dog races offered. And, for the first time since dog racing became legal 80 years ago, track owners and trainers would be required to report dog injuries.
All of the changes would take effect this year, but the bills also propose a constitutional amendment to require voter approval for any future gambling expansion. Whether there are enough votes in the legislature to pass the bills remains unclear.
Senator Garrett Richter, chairman of the Senate Gaming Committee, said, “I thought this would be a very good starting line to have the discussion. I think the bill is composed of statutes and regulations that have the best interests of Florida in mind.” Richter added the sweeping legislation is designed to “reform the current patchwork of laws into an orderly structure.”
Richter’s three proposed bills include the constitutional amendment, the destination casinos and gambling commission together and a public-record exemption for casinos from revealing proprietary confidential information when applying for a resort license. The bills do not address tax rates or blackjack for parimutuels.
