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.

Palm Beach County wants to be a slot machine hotspot in the state of Florida. The state already allows slot machines in other counties like Broward County. Broward has benefited from the slot machines and brought in steady money throughout the past few months and now the Palm Beach County Commission wants the ok to move into the market. In particular, the Palm Beach Kennel Club in West Palm Beach is the facility that the county wants to bring slots to. They see how lucrative slots gambling can be and want to bring them to the market to help it recover from the recession of 2007/2008.

One controversy the state is under is the recent move of Governor Charlie Crist. He agreed to let tribal-owned casinos expand their slots machine facilities, but declined to extend the same chance to other casinos. Commission Chairman Burt Aaronson said that Palm Beach Kennel Club is at a notable disadvantage by not being allowed to have casino gambling in its facility. Opponents are stating that allowing it to bring in gambling would open the door for crime, corruption, money laundering and more addictions. Without the resources to help these issues, it will be difficult to recover and find more money to fund issues.

On the other hand, proponents of bringing slot gambling to the Palm Beach area are stating that it would increase the local job market considerably. Currently at the Palm Beach Kennel Club there are 600 employees and an average of 750,000 visitors a year. Priscilla Taylor, commissioner, said that expansions are crucial to the state. If the job market can be expanded, it would greatly increase the number of jobs available and bring in more people. That would allow more revenues to sustain the budget, and to fuel into the county. She also added that if state officials permit more gambling, the unemployment rate would finally have a chance of leveling off. In the Belle Glade, South Bay and Pahokee area, the unemployment rate is at 40%. That is a huge amount of unemployed for the market to sustain and any considerable change will help to ease the strain.

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.