Florida Gaming Commission

History of the Board

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In the early 1950’s, the federal government decided to act upon a policy of terminating American Indian Tribes and assimilating Tribal members into the mainstream U.S. population. This disturbed the Seminole people. Several Tribal members went to Washington DC, and met with federal officials. The Tribe was not ready to release the government from its obligation of services to the people.
The Tribe asked the federal government for ten more years to develop an economic base for greater self-sufficiency. The Indian Reorganization Act, allowed Indian Tribes to govern themselves as federal corporations. A corporate charter was prepared. The majority of the Tribal members living on the reservation approved the charter, thus, the Seminole Tribe of Florida, Inc. was officially formed.
The Seminole Tribe of Florida, Inc., is a federal corporation. In the corporate charter, The Board of Director’s specific purpose is stated, “To further the economic development of the Seminole Tribe of Florida by conferring upon said Tribe certain corporate rights, powers, privileges and immunity; to secure for the members of the Tribe an assured economic independence; and to provide for the proper exercise by the Tribe of various functions heretofore performed by the Department of Interior.”
Each Tribal member shares equally in the ownership of the Tribal corporation. The Board of Directors of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, Inc., consists of a President; Vice President; Directors from Brighton, Big Cypress, Hollywood, and Immokalee (non-voting). The President is the Vice Chairman of the Council and the Chairman of the Council is the Vice President of the Board. Liaisons represent Tribal members from Tampa, Tamiami Trial, Naples, and Fort Pierce.
Over the years, the Seminole Tribe of Florida, Inc., has progressed economically. The Board of Directors has established many programs and projects for the economic betterment of its Tribal members.
The Board continues to expand it’s business enterprises. In 2003, two (2) convenience stores with gas sales were opened and a retail gift shop. The Board is considering new projects in the near future including a cattle feed lot operation, additional C-Stores and tobacco shops, an E-Commerce web-site, cattle program expansion and real estate and development.

Board Enterprises

• Cattle Companies I, II & III
• Brighton Seminole Campground
• Brighton Seminole Trading Post
• Choopeek-Cheke Gift Shop
• Citrus Groves
• Credit and Finance
• Seminole Arts and Crafts
• Seminole Okalee Village
• Seminole Sugarcane
• Tribal Fair and Rodeo
• Cigarette Wholesale and Distribution Center
• Retail Smoke Shops
• Big Cypress Trading Post

Introduction to Florida Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2020

The SNGA Gaming Commissioners regular monthly meeting is scheduled at 2:00 P.M. On the second Monday of each month. The meeting will take place at the Seminole Nation Gaming Agency Administration Office located at 2015 W. In Seminole, OK. Seminole Tribe of Florida official homepage is dedicated to the rich history, culture, and services of the Florida Seminole Indians. Ethics Commission (Complaints Against Florida Public Officials) Financial Investigations. Florida Highway Patrol Complaints. Food Product Complaints. Fraud Complaints (All Types) — File a Complaint Florida Attorney General’s hotline helps victims of any type of fraud or unfair trade practices get the assistance they need; toll-Free 1-866. If you have a legal question about a gaming issue, you should speak to a gaming attorney to discuss this complicated area of the law. Whether you are involved in playing or operating casino gaming, racetrack betting, sweepstakes, internet gaming, daily fantasy sports, or competitive E-Sports, gaming law has many unique aspects that need to be analyzed by an attorney with extensive experience.

Florida slot machine casino gambling consists of eight pari-mutuel racetracks in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties, seven tribal casinos, senior center amusement arcades, multi-day cruise ships with onboard casinos, and day-long gambling boats.

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Relevant Legal Statutes on Gambling in Florida*

The minimum legal gambling age in Florida depends upon the gambling activity:

• Land-Based Casinos: 21
• Poker Rooms: 18
• Bingo: 18
• Lottery: 18
• Pari-Mutuel Wagering: 18

State gaming regulations have authorized slot machines at pari-mutuel wagering racetracks in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties. These counties contain the cities of Miami and Fort Lauderdale in southern Florida.

Coin-operated amusement machines at senior center arcades are not slot machines and fall into the same category as pinball machines, shooting galleries, music machines, and video games.

Slot Machine Private Ownership in Florida

In Florida, it is legal to own a slot machine privately if it is at least 20 years old.

Gaming Control Board in Florida

The gaming control commission is the Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering within Florida’s Department of Business & Professional Regulation (DBPR).

Overall, the DBPR authorizes, regulates or provides oversight for Florida’s gaming industries of:

• Pari-mutuel wagering at racetracks
• Cardroom games

There are over three dozen pari-mutuel wagering facilities in Florida for which the DBPR is responsible, including the eight sites with slot machines. The DBPR does not regulate bingo, the Florida Lottery, coin-operated amusement machines, or day-long casino boats.

Historically, Florida has a long history of gambling, starting 100 years before gaming became legal. For example, at his first hotel, the Ponce de Leon in St. Augustine in 1888, Henry Flagler created the exclusive and famous Bacchus Club Casino.

Tribal gaming originally arrived in Florida with the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) of 1988. With it, Florida’s two federally recognized American Indian tribes opened casinos offering Class II bingo-style gaming.

Eventually, the Seminole Tribe of Florida has negotiated a tribal-state compact allowing them to offer Class III Vegas-style gaming at their seven casinos.

However, the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida has not completed their gaming compact negotiations, limiting them to Class II bingo-style gaming machines at their single casino.

Casinos in Florida

There are eight pari-mutuel racetracks with slot machines, seven American Indian tribal casinos, and two daily casino cruise ships based in Florida.

The largest casino in Florida is Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa with 5,000 gaming machines.

The second-largest casino is Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood with 3,100 gaming machines.

Commercial Casinos in Florida

Eight pari-mutuel racetrack and wagering sites in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties hosting Miami and Fort Lauderdale offer slot machines, including:

• The Big Easy Casino in Hallandale Beach.
• Calder Casino in Miami Gardens.
• Casino Miami in Miami.
• The Casino @ Dania Beach in Dania Beach.
• Gulfstream Park Casino in Hallandale Beach.
• Hialeah Park Racing & Casino in Hialeah.
• Isle Casino Pompano in Pompano Beach.
• Magic City Casino in Miami.

Tribal Casinos in Florida

The seven tribal casinos are in southern Florida are:

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• Miccosukee Resort & Gaming in Miami, 24 miles west of downtown Miami.
• Seminole Casino Brighton, 135 miles south of Orlando.
• Seminole Casino Coconut Creek, 25 miles north of Fort Lauderdale.
• Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee, 35 miles northeast of Naples.
• Seminole Classic Casino in Hollywood, 1 mile south of Fort Lauderdale.
• Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, 1 mile south of Fort Lauderdale.
• Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa, 80 miles southwest of Orlando.

Other Gambling Establishments

As an alternative to enjoying Florida slot machine casino gambling, consider exploring casino options in a nearby state. Bordering Florida is:

• North: Georgia Slots
• North and West: Alabama Slots
• Southeast: Puerto Rico Slots and U.S. Virgin Islands Slots

Each of the links above will take you to my blog for that neighboring U.S. state or territory to Florida.

Besides multi-day cruise ships with onboard casinos sailing to international destinations, there are two day-long casino cruise boats with onboard Vegas-style gaming available in Florida:

• Tropical Breeze Casino in Port Richey, 37 miles northwest of Tampa.
• Victory Casino Cruises in Port Canaveral, 60 miles southeast of Orlando.

Our Florida Slots Facebook Community

Are you interested in sharing and learning with other slots enthusiasts in Florida? If so, join our Florida slots community on Facebook. All you’ll need is a Facebook profile to freely join this closed Facebook Group community.

There, you can meet online and privately share your slots experiences with local slots enthusiasts about playing slot machines in Florida. Join us!

Florida Gaming Board

Payouts and Returns in Florida

Florida’s pari-mutuel wagering sites with slot machines in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties have a minimum theoretical payout of 85%. Return statistics by month and commercial casino are publicly available by dividing Credits Out by Credits In and multiplying by 100%.

For October 2020, the monthly player win percentages were:

• The Big Easy: 91.9%
• Calder Casino: 91.1%
• Casino Miami: 92.7%
• The Casino @ Dania Beach: 92.2%
• Gulfstream Park: 91.6%
• Hialeah Park: 94.0%
• Isle Casino Pompano: 90.3%
• Magic City: 93.4%
• All: 92.4%

For October 2020, the highest return, again, went to Hialeah Park, with 94.0%, again closely followed by Magic City at 93.4%. The lowest return, also again, went to Isle Casino It’s return was 90.3%.

Florida’s tribal compacts do not require theoretical payout limits on their slot machines, nor do they required to make return statistics publicly available.

Summary of Florida Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2020

Florida slot machine casino gambling consists of eight pari-mutuel racetracks in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties hosting Miami and Fort Lauderdale, seven tribal casinos in southern Florida, senior center arcades with amusement machines, multi-day cruise ships with onboard casinos to international destinations, and several day-long gambling boats which sail to international waters before gambling can commence.

Annual Progress in Florida Slot Machine Casino Gambling

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In the last year, Seminole Casino Immokalee has slipped from second largest casino in Florida all the way to sixth place. Why? Because it did not increase in slot machines as had four other once smaller casinos.

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Florida Gaming Commission

Have fun, be safe, and make good choices!
By Jon H. Friedl, Jr. Ph.D., President
Jon Friedl, LLC