Palm Beach County, Florida is weighing in on the issue of gambling. Other areas within the state got the jump on gambling by writing laws that sustain and manage it. Palm Beach County officials are now looking to other counties that have implemented gambling law. They see the money generated by legalizing gambling and want to follow the same blueprint and replicate the success other areas of Florida have had with legalizing and regulating gambling in their areas.

State laws in Florida allow for slot machines and other forms of gaming in Broward County. Broward is situated right next to Palm Beach County but has a thorough law written that the former does not. Palm Beach County has various locations where it can put up its own gambling sites. The Palm Beach Kennel Club in the western part of the county for example would be a prime location for gambling. Operators are excited about the opportunity and see the successes of Broward County as a positive move towards their own gambling success in the near future.

Much of the arguments for gambling in Palm Beach County revolve around the Kennel Club. The lines against it are divided though. On one side believes that the county could benefit greatly from the financial benefits of bringing gambling to the area. On the other hand, there is another sector that believes that gambling would bring crime and addictions to the state. The reality though is that gambling is already a staple in the state of Florida. The state’s lottery is one of the biggest draws and expanding on it can bring in a huge amount of funding. The commission Chairman Burt Aaronson believes that since gambling is already in the state, residents should look to the additional benefits expansion would bring in. Employment, business and tax revenues all can have positive effects on the county—both the legislators and the voting public. Only time will tell what is going to happen with the issue, but most likely Florida is on the verge of more and more legislation that will benefit its financial deficit and shortfalls.

The problem began years ago when the Seminole Indians tried bringing slot machines to the state of Florida. Then-Governor Jeb Bush petitioned hard to keep slots out of the state. It was a pretty simple issue at the time because slots were not allowed. To bring them in would have involved heavy changes in legislation and the chances of the fight beginning back then, just wasn’t that probable. Now, however things are different.

Since the recession many legislators have changed their minds regarding slots and the reason is primarily financial. The recession ravaged most state coffers and finding money is a difficult task. Deficits are huge and the way many legislators are trying to overcome the problem is through legalizing slots gambling. Historically, slots parlors are highly lucrative. Las Vegas is a city where gambling has varied throughout the year, but almost inevitably the slots parlors are packed. Legislators know this and are working hard to bring legislation into states that would allow gambling tax revenues to benefit the state’s finances.

Part of the reason the issue is being pushed is because Miami Dade and Broward Counties voted to allow slot machines in their counties so the state now had to comply and them to bring them in. Had Florida jumped on the slot machine bandwagon sooner, it would have been able to write the rules in terms of how slots revenue would be portioned out. Because it didn’t, it now has to be careful to watch now the two counties wrote their legislative code regarding slots gambling. They could have cut themselves a good chunk of revenue first, and then portioned it out to the counties and cities that wanted to move into gambling.

The Seminold Indian Tribe is hurting for cash and so is the state. It seems like the two are coming to an agreement regarding slots and hoping to both benefit from the revenues available. Now the the recession is over, economists are hoping that people start putting more money into the economy.That includes gambling– if people start gambling again, the Seminole Indian Tribe will be able to save their businesses and the state of Florida will be able to work down its huge deficit.

Broward County and the Palm Beach County Commission of Florida want to bring local gaming to their bars and pubs. The state already allows permits for other jurisdictions and now Broward and Palm Beach want in the game. The county is making moves to have their share of the gambling pie and are fighting hard for it. They are also fighting Governor Charlie Crist’s proposal involving the Seminole Tribe. It would allow the tribal community to have permit expansions within the state.  Broward County and Palm Beach County both believe that the expansion will greatly threaten their own gaming potential.

Commission Chairman Burt Aaronson presented his belief that posed an egregious disadvantage to the county if they are unable to gain approval for slots. Gaming critics however are arguing that expanding slots will inevitably bring more crime to the area. They also believe that addictions to gambling would grow exponentially.  Though there is no proof of the claim, many anti-gambling protestors are holding that this is the crux of their concerns regarding bringing slots to various communities.

Aaronson on the other hand, is hoping to get approval for slots in his county based on the fact that added slots would bring the need for more jobs. County commissioners see gambling as a way for not only jobs to be created, but to also have an additional revenue-generating possibility. The county, like all others, is suffering as a result of the recession and looking for ways to bring in more money. Currently the Palm Beach Kennel Club has 600 employees and brings in about 750,000 visitors a year. Commissioner Priscilla Taylor sees expansions as the only sure-fire way to bring jobs to the area. If slots are allowed at a proposed casino near Lake Okeechobee, it will provide jobs for Belle Glade, South Bay and Pahokee where the unemployment rates are hovering at 40%.

Aaronson is suggesting a hefty proposal regarding slots. He is proposing bringing gambling cruises on day-tours where the ships remain anchored at the dock on the coast. The day cruises would be promoted and advertised in local areas and hopefully bring in thousands of customers. Not only would jobs be created, but money would be generated. It is the hope of Broward County and The Palm Beach County Commission that they are not left behind in the fight for slot machine gambling.