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.