Florida Casino Expansion Will Be On The 2022 Ballot

Three gambling-related constitutional amendments shall be on the poll for Florida voters in 2022, with two giving residents the flexibility to increase on line casino playing within the Sunshine State.

Shortly after it was revealed {that a} political motion committee known as Florida Voters in Charge obtained a $17 million donation from Las Vegas Sands Corp, the group was capable of get sufficient signatures to get amendments concerning on line casino growth on the 2022 poll.

Thanks largely to the eight-figure donation, the group was capable of collect the 891,589 voter signatures mandatory to realize poll entry, based on a report from Florida Phoenix. Both of those initiatives would functionally finish the monopoly that the Seminole Tribe has on on line casino gaming in Florida.

One of the amendments, 21-15, would authorize three new casinos within the Sunshine State and permit the not too long ago created Florida Gaming Control Commission to award these licenses to any firm based mostly on the benefit of the appliance, so long as the situation was greater than 100 miles away from Seminole-owned casinos.

The second, 21-16, would permit licensed cardrooms to supply full-scale on line casino gaming so long as the property was no less than 130 miles away from a tribal on line casino and pledged to spend no less than $250 million growing the ability.

There have been a number of stories that stated since Las Vegas Sands Corp was funding the signature gathering course of, the corporate was taking a look at breaking into the Florida market. Given the distances listed within the amendments, Jacksonville is the most probably touchdown spot for the brand new on line casino. The PAC’s chairperson, William Spicola, has a house handle in Jacksonville Beach.

If 21-16 was handed subsequent November, the most probably plan of action can be for the corporate to purchase a big fairness stake in an current cardroom and assist fund the updates wanted for on line casino gaming.

In 2018, voters handed an modification that stated any playing growth have to be handed by means of a poll initiative. In phrases of variety of licensed operators, this may be the primary growth because the Seminole-backed proposal was handed almost three years in the past.

In late June, a PAC dubbed Florida Education Champions obtained sufficient signatures to get a sports activities betting proposal on the poll as properly. The proposed modification, 21-13, would legalize cell sports activities betting statewide, whatever the pending new gaming compact between the state and the Seminole Tribe. Florida Education Champions obtained a pair of $10 million donations from sports activities betting giants FanDuel and DraftKings.

In April, Gov. Ron DeSantis reached a cope with the Seminole Tribe for a brand new 30-year gaming compact. The settlement would permit each retail and cell sports activities betting all through the state and run by the tribe, in addition to expanded gaming choices at tribal casinos. The compact would power pari-mutuel amenities to companion with and provides a reduce of its income to the Seminoles with a purpose to function a sportsbook.

A pair of pari-mutuel amenities filed a federal lawsuit in early July over that provision. The compact was already handed by the legislature and is awaiting federal approval.