Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaApril 4, 2018

Despite a legal right to cut off the money, the Seminole Tribe of Florida has decided to continue paying the state its share of Indian casino gambling revenue each month. The Tribe “confirmed” its decision Tuesday night, according to its outside counsel, Barry Richard of the Greenberg Traurig firm, who participated in a conference call. The Tribe pays $19.5 […]

Jim RosicaApril 3, 2018

Despite increasing calls for and against a Special Legislative Session on gambling, the Seminole Tribe‘s lawyer continues to back his client’s promise to keep paying millions to the state. “They’re not just going to stop paying just because they have the right to,” said Barry Richard on Tuesday. That said, if lawmakers come back with […]

Jim RosicaApril 2, 2018

The head of a group that opposes casino gambling in Florida is telling lawmakers to take a pass on a Special Session for unresolved gambling issues. “If ever there was an issue that the Legislature has already spent too much time, energy, intellectual capacity and political capital, it is gambling,” No Casinos president John Sowinski wrote […]

Staff ReportsFebruary 14, 2018

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“Leave it be until Amendment 3,” says a new ad from the group behind a constitutional amendment on voter control of gambling expansion that will be on November’s statewide ballot. Voters In Charge, the political committee backing the Voter Control of Gambling Amendment, on Wednesday announced “a 30-second television ad, a 60-second radio ad, as […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 8, 2018

Lawmakers, take note: More than three-quarters of likely Florida voters favor a proposed state constitutional amendment “that would require voter approval to authorize casino gambling in the state,” according to poll results released Thursday. A ballot question will be before voters in November as Amendment 3, or the Voter Control of Gambling amendment. “When initially asked […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 17, 2018

A proposed constitutional amendment aimed at limiting gambling’s expansion in the state now has enough signatures to be placed on the 2018 ballot. Division of Elections records show the “Voter Control of Gambling” amendment now has 817,766 valid signatures—more than the 766,200 needed for placement. The total doesn’t count signatures still undergoing verification. The Division posted its […]

Drew WilsonOctober 23, 2017

A proposed ballot initiative that would give Florida voters the final say in gambling expansion now has more than 300,000 valid signatures according to the Florida Division of Elections. Voter Control of Gambling in Florida now has 301,370 valid signatures and has surpassed its quota in one of Florida’s 27 congressional districts, Pinellas County-based Congressional […]

Jim RosicaOctober 2, 2017

A proposed constitutional amendment aimed at limiting gambling’s expansion in the state now has more than 600,000 signatures, its backers said Monday. Voters in Charge, the political committee behind the amendment, said it’s “over halfway towards its goal of gathering 1.1 million signatures in order to reach the required number of 766,200 valid petitions to […]

Jim RosicaJuly 14, 2017

A proposed constitutional amendment aimed at limiting gambling’s expansion in the state is now over the 100,000 signature mark. Division of Elections records show the “Voter Control of Gambling” amendment now has 104,416 signatures toward getting on the 2018 statewide ballot. But that’s still a long way from the 766,200 signatures needed for the initiative’s ballot placement. […]

Jim RosicaJune 5, 2017

The state’s anti-gambling expansion group is pushing back against comments that it’s “misinformed” about casino gambling not being a “meaningful attraction for Florida tourism.” Steven Norton, a longtime gambling executive and consultant, linked to Nick Sortal‘s Friday column for the Miami Herald in Norton’s Monday email roundup of the gambling scene in the South. “As I survey the scene […]

Tag: John Sowinski
Mike Johnson. Image via AP.

All in: Seminole Tribe says it will keep paying state

Seminole Tribe’s lawyer says same old gambling proposals ‘won’t fly’

No Casinos on Special Session for gambling: Don’t do it

‘Leave it be’: New ad for gambling initiative out

Poll: 76 percent support constitutional amendment on gambling

Gambling amendment wins enough signatures for ballot

Gambling amendment crosses 300K signatures

Gambling amendment now has 600K signatures

Gambling control amendment surpasses 100,000 signatures

No Casinos responds to criticism it’s ‘misinformed’ about casino gambling