There is little concern that Florida is in danger of shedding its label as one of the nation’s largest gambling states.

Revenue jumped 15.1 percent from the prior year at Florida’s six gaming facilities in the recently completed 2011-2012 fiscal year. The casinos reported a net revenue of $411.3 million to the Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering.

The revenue increase comes for a year in which an effort to create a statewide gaming commission and allow at least three mega-casinos to join the gaming party in South Florida died in the Legislature.

Gaming Today notes that the newly opened Casino Miami Jai Alai added $25 million to the net revenue, more than 4 percent of the increase.

“The remaining five properties were up over $28.7 million,” the gaming Website reported. “The 10.8 percent increase is not too shabby considering the (depressed)  business levels at many gaming palaces around the nation.”

The increase at state-approved gaming locations didn’t cut into the desire by people to play their luck elsewhere in Florida.

The Florida lottery, which last fall inked a deal to make the Sunshine State the first to offer lottery tickets in Wal-Mart stores, reported a record $4.45 billion in sales.

Overall, the lottery sales figures were up $440 million from the prior July 1-June 30 period.

Because of the growth in play, House Speaker-designate Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, and Senate President-designate Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, both recently told the Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald the time is approaching for Florida to take a comprehensive look at gaming in Florida, including the Seminoles' compact.

The compact, worth $233 million a year for Florida, is up for renewal in 2015.



Reach Jim Turner at jturner@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 215-9889.