In the Sunshine State, Amendment 3, the Voter Approval of Casino Gambling Initiative would give the state’s voters the “exclusive right” to decide whether or not to authorize casino gambling in Florida. The top two contributors funding the efforts to support the measure are the Walt Disney Co. and the Seminole Tribe of Florida.
According to the Orlando Sentinal with the Associated Press contributing…
The most recent campaign finance (covered through September 11, 2018) reports show that both the tribe and Disney contributed $5 million each to Voters in Charge, the one ballot measure committee registered in support of the measure on the November 6 ballot. The committee [Voters in Charge] reportedly raised $37.32 million, with Disney Worldwide Services Inc. contributing the lion’s share at $19.66 million, $16.78 million being contributed by the Seminole Tribe of Florida and No Casinos Inc contributing $851,009.
Longstanding opposition:
Disney has long been opposed to casino expansion in the state, and the Seminole Tribe, who control many of the state’s casinos, has its own stake in the success of the ballot initiative that would limit the expansion of gambling.
Currently, Florida state law only allows for casinos in Broward and Miami-Dade counties and on tribal lands such as the casinos controlled by the Seminole Tribe.
What the amendment says:
If 60 percent vote yes and Amendment 3 is successful, it would mean that only the state’s voters could approve expanded gambling, not the Florida State Legislature. As stated in subsection (a) of the amendment…
“This amendment ensures that Florida voters shall have the exclusive right to decide whether to authorize casino gambling in the State of Florida. This amendment requires a vote by citizens’ initiative pursuant to Article XI, section 3, in order for casino gambling to be authorized under Florida law. This section amends this Article; and also affects Article XI, by making citizens’ initiatives the exclusive method of authorizing casino gambling.”
Voters in Charge is reportedly running ads in an effort to convince people to vote yes on Amendment 3.
In April this year, Florida Governor Rick Scott agreed a deal that would continue to give the Seminole Tribe the exclusive rights to offer banked card games such as blackjack across the southern state through the 2019 legislative session.
