Senate Committee Passes Gov’s Compact to Allow Blackjack

The Senate Regulated Industries Committee agreed to proceed with a compact that will expand the gambling rights of Florida’s Seminole Tribe and passed SB622. Accordingly, the Legislature must approve Governor Charlie Crist’s deal to grant exclusive rights to table games such as Blackjack to the Seminole Tribe.

This bill is the committee’s second attempt with regard to a gaming compact. During the early phase of the session, the governor had to include specific provisions in the agreement. The Legislature, however, has now approved the signing of a compact with the Seminole Tribe because of which the sponsor of the bill, Senator Denis Jones, said that the requirements placed in his first bill were no longer required. He also said that most of the issues are now resolved and that he hopes that the Legislature will vote for the agreement to allow blackjack games before the end of the session’s seventh week.

The Florida Supreme Court was not in favor of the governor’s first compact with the Seminole Tribe granting them exclusive rights to table games such as Blackjack in the USA casinos. The Legislature must now pass the previous years bills that will require the introduction of weekly licensing taxes and the reduction the slot licensing fees by nearly one million dollars.