Massive gambling compact approved; expansion of gambling poised to change FL landscape

It’s official. Federal authorities green-lighted Florida’s gambling compact with the Seminole Tribe of Florida on Friday, marking the start of a new cultural era by allowing digital gambling statewide for the first time in Florida history.

The 30-year compact, worth $2.5 billion to the state of Florida in just the first five years, was ratified by the Florida Legislature in May and was subject to federal review under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA).

On Friday, the top-ranking official in the U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) wrote to Gov. Ron DeSantis and Tribe Chairman Marcellus Osceola that the compact those leaders signed on April 23 is “considered to have been approved” without action by the BIA, which declined to affirmatively approve it during a 45-day review period but also did not reject it.

Bryan Newland, head of the BIA, wrote: “After thorough review under IGRA, we have taken no action to approve or disapprove the Compact before August 5, 2021, the 45th day. As a result, the Compact is considered to have been approved by operation of law to the extent that it complies with IGRA and existing Federal law. The Compact will become effective upon the publication of notice in the Federal Register.”

Read more: https://floridaphoenix.com/2021/08/06/massive-gambling-compact-approved-expansion-of-gambling-poised-to-change-fl-landscape/