Native tribes in Florida previously opened bingo parlors to generate revenue. The Act gave sovereignty to Native tribes for gaming on tribal lands. In landmark legislation, the federal government passed the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) in 1988.
Is there a potential connection between the modernization of online gambling and casino tourism in Tampa Bay? The legalization of the lottery led to a significant change in the state’s gambling laws. With the rise of gambling in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in the late 1970s, Florida voters rejected two constitutional amendments for full-scale casino gambling.Īround the same time, Florida voters approved the lottery in 1986. The legalization of slot machines occurred in 1935, only to get banned two years later.
The state legalized horse and dog racing in 1931. Since then, gambling laws in the Sunshine State have continually gone back and forth. Opened in 1887, the Tampa Bay Hotel (and casino) became Florida’s first gaming establishment.
