Rick Scott’s $3B gambling compact sussed out at its Florida Senate debut

It was a rough outing at the Florida Senate for Gov. Rick Scott’s proposal for a $3 billion gambling compact with the Seminole Tribe.

On Wednesday, the governor’s policy guru was verbally beaten by senators over the terms of the proposed wide-ranging deal, particularly with question on its possible impact on the state’s pari-mutuel facilities, the Palm Beach Post reported.

In December Scott announced that he had reached a new gambling deal with the Seminole Tribe of Florida that will bring $3.1 billion revenue guarantee for the state over a period of seven years. The deal will preserve the tribe’s right to offer blackjack and other house-banked card games at all of its casinos, two more than those covered under the previous compact that expired in July.

The new deal will allow two new slots licenses: one at the Palm Beach Kennel Club, and another reserved for the still unknown venue in Miami-Dade County.