1. Slot Machines In Florida Voter Registration
2. Best Slot Machines To Play
3. Florida Casinos With Slot Machines

The Florida Legislature attempted to address the issue of slot machines in a wide-ranging gambling bill that also covered a new gambling deal with the Seminoles, blackjack at pari-mutuels,.

ST. LUCIE COUNTY — Voters will decide in November whether slot machines will be allowed where pari-mutuel betting is permitted.

Locally, it would apply to Fort Pierce Jai-Alai & Poker, which had asked the County Commission to place the referendum on the ballot.

County commissioners on Tuesday voted 5-0 to include the issue on the Nov. 8 ballot.

No one from the public spoke for or against the measure at Tuesday’s meeting.

If slot machines are added at the jai alai fronton, 1750 S. Kings Highway, owners would add a $100 million building and hire 500 employees, said David Jonas, Fort Pierce Jai-Alai & Poker CEO.

Construction would generate $202,101 in property taxes for Fort Pierce and $216,664 for the county, under current property tax-rates, according to an economic analysis by the project’s backers.

The county and Fort Pierce could receive additional money from a local-share revenue fee, with the governments receiving a share of the slot-machine take, Jonas said. It would model an agreement Jonas has at his Casino of Miami, which pays 1½ percent of revenue each to Miami-Dade County and the city of Miami.

The shared percentage in St. Lucie County would be negotiated, Jonas said.

A majority vote is needed to pass the referendum, according to the St. Lucie County Supervisor of Elections Office.

But even if voters approve it, don’t expect to hear the bells of slot machines any time soon.

Voters in Brevard and Palm Beach counties passed similar referendums in 2012, but four year later they have yet to see their first slot machine.

Slot Machines In Florida Voter Registration

The Legislature still would need to change state law, which now permits slots only in Broward and Miami-Dade counties and on Native American lands.

Best Slot Machines To Play

Passing the measure gives the county and Fort Pierce “a seat at the table” if state lawmakers ever vote to change the law, Jonas said.

Earlier this month, the Florida Supreme Court heard the case of a Tallahassee-area horse-track owner suing the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, which claimed changes to state law in 2010 were intended to allow slots at dog and horse tracks statewide if a county passed a referendum showing voters want it.

The court has yet to make a ruling.

Florida Casinos With Slot Machines

Meanwhile, Jonas said, he and his backers will begin an advertising campaign to garner voter support.

“Some of it will be direct-mail advertising and some of it will be knocking on people’s doors, getting the word out,” Jonas said.

Use #TCPalmFuture on Twitter to share your tweets!

A Volusia County Slot Machine Question was going to be on the November 6, 2012 ballot in Volusia County but was delayed by Volusia County Officials.^[1]

This measure seeks to allow slot machines to be installed at a designated location in the county. Though the county council approved this for the ballot, the issue could still be removed if further State legislation designates that slots are not allowed in other counties in the state.^[2]

Additional reading

Footnotes

1. ↑Volusia County officials delay decision on slot machine vote, Bay News 9
2. ↑The News-Journal, 'Volusia council narrowly approves citizen vote on slot machines,' February 10, 2012(dead link)