Interior Giving Seminoles Slot Machines

The Seminole Indians have been fighting Governor Bush and the state of Florida for years to bring in Class III slot machines. However, up until this point, the governor has been able to hold them off. They have now gone to the US Department of the Interior, who has said that they will come to an agreement with the Seminoles and they will get their slot machines, but that if they have to step in, Florida won’t see a dime of the slot machine revenue.

With Broward County race tracks and Dania Jai-Alai having Class III slot machines, the Indians have a legal right to have them as well. They also want to be able to compete with their slot machines, as they only have Class II slot machines right now. ''Now that gaming is going to be offered at the pari-mutuels, we want to have the same kind of machines they do,'' said Max Osceola, councilman for the Seminole Tribe of Florida.

The Seminole Indians have several slot machine casinos in the state – located in Tampa, Hollywood, Immokalee, Okeechobee, Coconut Creek, and Clewiston. The Class III slot machines are imperative as they have higher payouts than the Class II slot machines, and they know that people want to win money if they are going to play them – and the more they can win is going to determine which slot machines they play. It is rare that the Interior steps in, but if they believe that the state is acting in bad faith, which obviously they think they are, then they will allow the Seminoles to have their slot machines, and Floridians will pay for them.

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