Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaFebruary 1, 2016

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Gov. Rick Scott and Seminole Tribe of Florida representatives on Monday earnestly began a hard sell of a new deal that would let the tribe keep blackjack at their casinos. Scott met with Tribal Chairman Jim Billie, other tribal leaders and gambling operations executives in South Florida in a meeting that was live-streamed on the Internet. […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 27, 2016

The same state agency now calling designated-player card games illegal was calling them “in compliance” with state gambling law as recently as last July, records show. What’s not clear is what caused the about-face. The enforcement is happening at the same time that lawmakers are considering whether to approve a new “compact” with the Seminole Tribe of […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 27, 2016

The head of a Jacksonville racetrack and card room says the state was unfairly targeting pari-mutuels for running illegal card games, especially when state regulators oversaw the games being set up. Howard Korman, president of Jacksonville Greyhound Racing, which does business as BestBet, spoke at a Senate Regulated Industries Committee meeting on Wednesday. The Department […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 27, 2016

State gambling regulators this week filed complaints against seven racetracks in Florida, saying they’re operating illegal card games, according to documents obtained through a public records request. The pari-mutuels targeted by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, which regulates gambling, include: Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Palm Beach Kennel Club in West Palm Beach, Magic […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 26, 2016

The Seminole Tribe of Florida hopes its latest TV ad is “Guaranteed” to win lawmakers over. The ad uses clips from last week’s Senate Regulated Industries Committee, the panel with gambling oversight responsibility, where legislators first started looking at the deal. It “highlights the guaranteed revenue share to the State of Florida under the new gaming compact,” […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 25, 2016

Lawyers for the state of Florida filed their response to a lawsuit filed by the Seminole Tribe of Florida nearly three weeks after a federal judge shot down their request to toss the case out. Among highlights of the filing: The state denies that the lawsuit was properly filed in Tallahassee and says “nothing in the […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 21, 2016

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Gov. Rick Scott on Thursday continued to sound lukewarm on the prospects of his renegotiated deal with the Seminole Tribe of Florida that would let them keep blackjack at their casinos. Scott took questions after an afternoon bill-signing ceremony with House Speaker Steve Crisafulli and Senate President Andy Gardiner. “Well, I did my job. We […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 20, 2016

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Jim Allen, head of the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s gambling arm, on Wednesday denied that the Seminoles have any agreement with the state’s Miccosukee Tribe to not ask for their own blackjack deal. Before a Senate workshop on the proposed Seminole Compact, which would renew the tribe’s exclusive deal to offer blackjack in Florida, lobbyists […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 20, 2016

The votes against a new Indian gambling agreement started piling up Wednesday, as senators verbally shellacked Gov. Rick Scott’s policy guru about the terms of the deal. The Regulated Industries Committee, oversees the state’s gambling industry, held a workshop on the Seminole Compact, with Scott policy director Jeff Woodburn acting as point man to formally present […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 19, 2016

The day before a Senate panel with gambling oversight responsibility looks at its proposed blackjack agreement, the Seminole Tribe of Florida announced a statewide ad blitz to promote the new deal. In a Tuesday email, the tribe said it bought airtime for two 30-second television ads to run statewide. “’Sovereign” highlights the Seminole Tribe’s commitment to Florida and “Letter” highlights […]

Tag: Seminole Tribe of Florida

Rick Scott and Seminole Tribe begin PR effort for new blackjack deal

Emails show state’s about-face on card games enforcement

Racino executive speaks out on card-room controversy

State files gambling complaints against racetracks across Florida

Seminole Tribe to air yet another TV ad

State responds to Seminole Tribe federal lawsuit

Rick Scott on Seminole Compact: “I did my job”

Seminole Gaming CEO: No side deal with Miccosukee

Senate starts dissecting new Seminole blackjack deal

Seminoles launch ad offensive before first Compact hearing