Online Casino Gambling

In Florida, Gov. Charlie Crist signed a bill expanding casino gambling. This deal with the Seminole Tribe of Florida guarantees $150 million a year to the state from casino profits and in exchange the casinos get to offer casino games like baccarat and blackjack in tribes casinos.

So according to the bill, besides the $150 million, the Seminole Tribe of Florida has to make the following payments based on annual profits:

- 2% of profits up to $2.5 billion.
- 15% of profits between $2.5 billion and $3 billion.
- 20% of profits between $3 billion and $4 billion.
- 22.5% of profits between $4 billion and 4.5 billion.
- 25% of any profits above $4.5 billion.

The bill requires that the Seminole Tribe of Florida do the following as well… prevention programs for addictive gamblers, have their records and financials audited annually by independent organizations and to compensate clients that get injured from casino patrons (bouncers dealing with violent drunks and card counters).

This ruling doesn’t effect online casino games, just the land based versions.

This agreement does replace a 2007 agreement signed by Crist. It was originally overturned then by the Florida Supreme Court when it said that Crist didn’t involve the Legislature in his decision and so he overstepped his authority. But with the new agreement federal law governs over the tribe and the Legislature won’t be able to block it.