Court allows slot machines anywhere in state

Lawmakers can authorize slot machines anywhere in Florida, an appeals court ruled today, although according to CBS12, the decision is likely to be appealed to the Florida Supreme Court.

In the immediate future it means the Hialeah race track in South Florida is eligible for slots. The track was initially approved for slots by lawmakers before opponents challenged the law. The opposition said the track didn’t qualify under an amendment passed in 2004 allowing slots at seven race tracks throughout Miami-Dade and Broward counties.

There’s no indication “voters intended to forever prohibit the Legislature from exercising its authority to expand slot machine gaming beyond those facilities,” District Judge Marguerite Davis wrote for the panel. “Nor is there any indication that Florida voters intended to grant the seven entities who met the criteria in a constitutionally-protected monopoly over slot machine gaming in the state.” [CBS12]