Thread by @JimRosicaFL

The House Select Committee on Gaming (Gambling) has begun in the Capitol, where chair Randy Fine says the panel will review all the bills for this year's proposed compact - except the fantasy sports bills which have been TP'd, or temporarily postponed.

Fine, who has a lot of casino experience, also mentioned the old saw about the house always winning but said here the people of the state of Florida need to win, repeats what we heard a lot yesterday, about "need to get it right."

Committee now going over legislation (HB 3A) to create a 5-member statewide gambling commission by Rep. Bob Rommel (@RommelForRep), bill being amended, including to allow former lawmakers to be on the commission within 2 years, making sure diversity plays part in picking members

@RommelForRep Bill would also allow commission to go after internet cafes, the storefront casinos that are still in communities around the state, offering illegal gambling. Legislature tried to deal with in 2013, then Lt. Gov resigned in relation.
Background here: usatoday.com/story/news/nat…

Rep. Joe Geller (@JoeGellerFL), a Democrat, said he wasn't crazy about the compact but supported a mechanism to police gambling in Florida, said he would vote for the bill to create commission. Rommel said it's past time something like this was created.
Bill is OK'd unanimously.

@JoeGellerFL Next bill is to exempt records for any gambling business that is under investigation till there is a criminal charge. The bill is also OK'd unanimously.

Next is the implementing bill for the compact itself. This will take a while. Expecting much of the same support and objections as yesterday.
Today's staff analysis here: myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Docum…

Sidenote: the fight over changing local gov't share from the tribe to Davie, Hollywood, Dania Beach has been worked out. New deal is in an amendment that just got OK'd.

Indian gaming law expert George Skibene has returned to answer member questions: Deflects question, however, about how much money the state expects to get out of 30-yr compact (advertised as $2.5B by @GovRonDeSantis)

@GovRonDeSantis Chair Randy Fine (@VoteRandyFine) makes point that this is not a "green field" in which Florida can cut any deal it wants with Seminole Tribe, must comport with Indian gaming law...fed regulators look for value/benefit going to tribes for compacts to be approved.

@GovRonDeSantis @VoteRandyFine I think this is the first time I've heard Fine says the question of where a bet takes place, say on a smartphone OR in a computer server that's on tribal land, is an "unsettled" question of law. Yesterday, he mentioned "non-zero chance" that that part of this compact would fail.

Skibene now clarifying that feds (Dept of Interior/@SecDebHaaland) can OK or thumbs down whole compact but can’t pick & choose provisions—courts could strike down part of compact, however, and rest of deal would stand (known as severability).

Rep. Geller (@JoeGellerFL) asking increasingly complicated hypotheticals, latest one dealing with: could other licensing of sports betting go forward w/o Tribe? Skibene says he thinks so but then what would do to Tribe exclusivity/revenue? Unclear.

Seminole Gaming CEO and Hard Rock Int’l chairman Jim Allen back before lawmakers to sell the compact. Mentions desire to restart relationship w Florida after breach of 2010 compact and their stopping payment of blackjack money even tho’ they paid over $2B.

Allen says Tribe promises to still pay money from other games if sports betting is deemed illegal and doesn’t happen.
Says that (sports betting being struck down) is risk they are willing to take.
Also conceded to pari-mutuels on cont’d card games that compete w blackjack.

Allen speaking now on mobile sports betting and data privacy, a fairly big issue this past legislative session. Says they track gambling patterns, how often gamblers visit, etc.
All casinos do that, Fine adds, but none sell it bc too valuable.

Gamblers can opt of marketing emails, Fine says. Allen says they provide customers with whatever info they hold on them on request. The tribe now runs a sports book in the Atlantic City Hard Rock in NJ (which used to be the Trump Taj Mahal).

Allen also interestingly saying tribe will be agnostic about gaming license portability, if a license is, say, moved from Broward to Miami-Dade, “that seems to be the most common example” — a reference to Fontainebleau Miami Beach or Trump-Doral becoming casinos.

There has been some delay as my laptop seemingly endlessly is updating itself right now. @JohnGSowinski of @NoCasinos is now opposing compact, saying any gambling expansion such as sports betting needs to go to voters.

Normally the Voter Control of Gambling state constitutional amendment does not apply to tribal operations but Sowinski has said mobile/online betting takes place where the bettor is, requiring it to go to a statewide referendum.

In debate on implementing bill for 2021 Seminole Compact, Rep. Joe Geller calls the deal “a rather dubious proposition.”
On the whole, “I just don’t think we’re getting enough money,” he says.
Also troubled by 30-year term: “I just think it’s too long...too much is unknowable.”

Geller also concerned by decoupling, allowing horse tracks to stop live racing but still offer other gambling, and what that will do to horse racing industry.
And “I don’t think we have workable system for Tribe to reach agreement with pari-mutuels” on sharing in sports betting.

Meantime, Rep. Ralph Massullo (@RalphMassullo) says compact will bring more money into state coffers and create jobs. Sports betting would be just a small addition to what they already offer, he says, not mentioning possible added roulette and craps allowed under deal.

@RalphMassullo Reps. Payne and Garrison now closing on the bill, saying "Bill can be stamped" ie, it's good to go,
Payne assuaging concerns that gambling data will be misused, adds that "extreme amount of revenue is involved."
Bill OK'd largely on party lines. It now goes to full House tmmrw.

Final bill before committee is HB 7A, "Revises provisions relating to pari-mutuel wagering, slot machines, & gambling; prohibits greyhound racing or dog racing; revises specified criminal penalties."
Allows 24/7 slots, free drinks.
Seven amendments offered.

Dem Rep. Dan Daley (@RepDanDaley) now testifies about horse racing concerns, says decoupling (explained previously in this thread) will kill standardbred industry/harness racing, Last track is in Broward; Daley reps Broward County. Supports this amendment: myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Docum…

@RepDanDaley Amendment passes. Before that, House members in gaming committee saying things like "shame on our @FLSenate partners" which already passed decoupling earlier today.

Last bill is now OK'd. Select committee is done for day.

@threadreaderapp unroll