Committee Okays Firercely Contested Gambling Bill

By Brandon Larrabee
The News Service of Florida
Thursday, March 16. 2011

THE CAPITAL, TALLAHASSEE: A measures changing the rules of the game for gambling interests in the state passed the Senate Regulated Industries Committee on Wednesday, potentially kicking off a new round of gambling fights in this year's session.

It's not clear whether the odds are in favor of the bill; Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, was largely ambivalent when asked about them Wednesday, and neither bill's House companion has been scheduled for a hearing yet.

The fiercely contested of bill would remove the requirement that greyhound tracks actually offer live dog races in order to operate a card room. That bill (SB 1594) cleared the panel on a 7-5 vote.

Sen. Maria Sachs, the Delray Beach Democrat who sponsored the measure, said greyhound racing was "a dying industry in this state," and track operators had a better chance at staying in business if they could provide card games while holding fewer races -- or none at all. Sachs also said that dogs were in some cases being treated more poorly as revenues drop off for the races -- and the dogs become less central to the business.

"These dogs are running all the time -- all the time -- in order for the track to maintain a profitable card room," she said.

The bill was opposed by a hodge-podge coalition of gambling opponents and supporters of dog breeders and owners, though critics largely focused on how the changes would affect linked industries.

"I think we’re changing rules midstream, and it’s going to hurt a lot of people," said Sen. Thad Altman, R-Viera.

Jack Cory, a lobbyist for the Florida Greyhound Association and the Natioanl Greyhound Association, said the bill would prompt track operators to get rid of dog races entirely -- gutting the $50 million-a-year industry and shutting down hundreds of dog breeders and owners.

"If this bill were to reduce it or eliminate (the racing requirement), you would have a very, very difficult situation for the 3,000 Florida families and the greyhounds," Cory said.

Sen. Charlie Dean, R-Inverness, said the changes expanded the greyhound licenses beyond their original intent.

"The dogs are what brought the license," he said. “Nothing else."