Gambling Impact Study — Part 1A - Online Sunshine

II. General Assessment of GamblingA general description of gambling in terms of popularity, profitability, regulatory considerations, and costmitigation, including not only industries currently operating in Florida but also other gambling activitiessuch as table games, Internet poker, destination resort casinos, and sports betting.A. Growth and Evolution of Gambling in United StatesFlorida is not an emerging gambling state. In terms of revenue, employment, number ofgaming locations and other important measures, it already is a major gambling state, with a widearray of options. Florida is arguably a microcosm of US gaming, with all of the forces that areshaping the industry in other states at play here. Absent a plan for growth, these forces willcontinue unabated in shaping the industry in both Florida and elsewhere. Moreover, the presenceof such forces will also constrict the ability of lawmakers to chart the future of gaming. Theseforces can be segmented into the following broad areas: Legal: Within the bounds of the state Constitution and federal law, the FloridaLegislature has significant ability to craft its own laws and policies. The boundaries thatlimit legislative authority, however, are significant. Florida is bound by a compact withthe Seminole Tribe of Florida, and that compact is, in turn, bound by federal laws andregulations, most notably by the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (“IGRA”). Other states,such as Connecticut, have found themselves in a similar position, having learned thatcompacts can represent missed opportunities that are difficult to revise after the fact. Market: As with any gaming jurisdiction, the future size of the gaming industry will bepartly dependent on the size of the resident population, as well as on the size of theexisting and future tourism markets. Those markets will, in turn, be dependent on thenumber of gaming and other entertainment options, both inside and outside Florida. Asgaming expands within the home markets of Florida visitors, as well as within marketsthat compete for those visits, it will impact the growth of gaming in Florida, as well asthe ability of lawmakers to guide that growth. Historic: The two federally recognized tribes in Florida lay claim to a longstandinghistory of gaming in Florida, as well as other rights and privileges granted to sovereigngovernments. Historic claims to sovereignty are at the root of IGRA and various courtdecisions that have supported and bolstered the concept of sovereignty and gamingrights. At the same time, the pari-mutuel industry – in particular, horse racing – has along history within the state as well, and extends into various geographic regions andeconomic interests, from breeding and training to racing. This factor is arguably moreacute in Florida, but is not unprecedented.Florida Gaming Study, Part 1-A 5