Ahead of special session, two polls paint pictures of new Florida gambling compact

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida voters are either very excited about the new Seminole Compact to expand gambling, or they’re concerned about negative effects and legislative overreach.

Less than a week before lawmakers return to Tallahassee to pass laws to implement the new Seminole Compact, a pair of polls are painting separate pictures of how Florida voters view the recently-released deal.

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In one poll from McLaughlin & Associates, a plurality of respondents (44%) said Florida already had an appropriate amount of gambling, with a majority (76%) saying voters should have the final say when it comes to expansion.

Meanwhile, in another poll from the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association in association with the Seminole Tribe, 62% of respondents said they supported the new compact, with support increasing when respondents were prompted with the idea that jobs would be created and the state would make money.

READ: Florida general fund losing $350 million a year in gambling revenue; could sports betting hold the answer?

These polls come as those on all sides of the issue prepare for a called special session, where lawmakers will be asked to draft laws to implement the recently-released Seminole Compact.

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