Legalised online gambling in Florida still a possibility

Speaking at the World Regulatory Briefing in Philadelphia this week, Florida state Representative Jim Walden offered both hope and caution in regard to another attempt at online lottery gambling legalisation recently launched in the Legislature in his state.

On the one hand he was confident that Florida’s large (19 million) population and fondness for a flutter could sustain a viable online gambling industry, but on the other he warned that the powerful Seminole tribe was a factor that had to be considered very carefully.

The Seminole have an exclusive gambling compact with the state government that runs through 2015, when it is due for renegotiation; until then the tribe occupies a strong position in any gambling moves in the state, positive or negative.

At the same conference, Massachusetts Gaming Commission chief James McHugh offered a personal opinion that the advent of intrastate online gambling is inevitable, but added the caveat that so far despite several attempts, no internet gambling bill has made it through the Legislature.

Bill Ryan, chairman of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, was also present, and opined that the legalisation of online gambling in his state has not achieved credible traction despite at least two attempts at its introduction. In saying this, Ryan echoed the sentiments expressed by state political luminaries earlier in the week .

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