It’s hard to tell which is the stronger: the anti Seminole Indian casinos or the anti gambling feeling by some Republican politicians. The fact, however, is that presented with the strongest lobby for wide open gambling in the State of Florida, against casino style games exclusive to the Seminoles properties, state representatives and senators have come to the conclusion that, irrespective of the US $6.8 billion deal promised by the Indian casinos to governor Charlie Crist, it is preferable to let any county that wants casino gambling to have it. Yes Siree!

State Rep. Bill Galvano, Chairman of the Select Committee on Seminole Indian Compact Review, who opposes the Crist-Seminole compact, said: “Right now we have all of the worst of gaming and none of the best. Florida is a gaming state, No. 6 in the nation. We need to look at other opportunities for gaming for the state of Florida that might maximize our revenues.”

Galvano said his bipartisan group will meet in December and talk about options other than the contract the one Crist signed last summer with the Seminoles, which gives the Florida tribe exclusive rights to deal blackjack and other table card games. Adding that Crist’s proposal is likely doomed, Galvano said that the compact largely precludes the state’s 27 pari-mutuel facilities from new gambling games.

State Rep. Matt Hudson, R-Naples, who represents the Immokalee area where the Seminoles have a casino, agrees with Galvano: “This is an interesting discussion. It needs to be had. I don’t gamble personally and I see people’s concerns - the social aspects - but it seems to me we opened the door to this a long time ago.”

Other committee members are speaking out, too. Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff, R-Fort Lauderdale, said: “As anti-gaming as I was, it’s here, and it’s not going away. You go to Plan B, which is free market.” Rep. Alan Hays, R-Umatilla, added: “We can compete head on with the tribe. We need to say absolutely no to this compact, period.”

State Rep. Gary Aubuchon, R-Cape Coral, has a similar view: “I am not a proponent of gambling per se, but can reconcile the issue where gambling already takes place. Where I draw the line is on any discussion outside of that context. The absolute last thing I would ever want to see is a change allowing slot machines at Disney World.”

However, the state’s voters would have to approve open gambling. Three times in the past, a gambling initiative has been on the ballot, and voted down, but then, in the past, it had true blue Republican politicos dead opposed to gambling. Also, the voting was in normal times, and not with worst recession since the Great Depression looming over repossessed homes and the jobless.

As the communities seek tools to revive their down on its knees economies, gambling - which has gradually expanded from the lottery to blackjack, to no-limit Texas Hold ’Em, and to Las Vegas-styled slot machines in Broward and Miami-Dade counties - may just be the trigger they need to kick start recovery. Galvano said his committee is not grandstanding or sabre-rattling to get a better deal with the Seminoles: “We believe everything we do in any committee is serious. We have a lot of work to do with our tight budget. The county voting is an important aspect. What might fit well for Miami-Dade, for instance, might not, say, for the people in Polk County.”

The message nonetheless is clear. If you want a casino, the Republicans are not going to vote against you. Florida is set for major statewide casino play. (E-11.12.09)

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