Las Vegas Sands, which has been keeping a close eye on Floridas gambling debate, has objected to comments Attorney General Pam Bondi made Thursday when she went public with her opposition to "destination gaming" bills in the state House and Senate.
Bondi, joined by Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam and backers siding with the No Casino effort, called on state legislators to walk away from the proposal they say will grow crime and lead to a proliferation of gambling across Florida.
State Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater would later declare solidarity against the bills with Bondi and Putnam.
The bills, HB 487 and SB 710, filed by Sen. Ellyn Bogdanoff, R-Fort Lauderdale, and Rep. Erik Fresen, R-Miami, call for the creation of a statewide gaming commission and allow up to three mega-casinos that would each be worth more than $2 million.
Las Vegas Sands, which operates the Venetian in Las Vegas, is expected to be among the casino operators applying for one of the three resort licenses.
In a letter to Bondi publicly released Monday, Sands Vice President Andy Abboud argued that Florida would be better served by the regulations that come with the casinos than the current state of gaming as it expands across the state.Abboud's letter reads:
I felt it was important to respond to your comments made during the Dec. 8, 2011, press conference you participated in with the Florida Chamber of Commerce, the Florida Sheriffs Association, Commissioner Adam Putnam, and representatives from 'No Casinos.'
"During the press conference and in a subsequent press release, you stated, 'I've spoken with law enforcement officers who have confirmed that casinos are a magnet for money laundering.' You even referred to an alleged example at the Tampa Hard Rock Casino where you said drug dealers utilized the facility to launder funds. We, of course, have no knowledge what may or may not have happened at the Tampa Hard Rock Casino.
"However, what we can say is that the Department of the Treasury, and in particular the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), has promulgated regulations under Title 31 of the Code of Federal Regulations and as authorized under the Bank Secrecy Act that are applicable to casinos and financial institutions in general and that address anti-money laundering. Compliance with these requirements is audited by the Internal Revenue Service or other federal regulatory agencies. You could take a look at the FinCEN website at http://www.fincen.gov/ for records of enforcement actions and determine the compliance record of casinos versus other financial institutions. We think you will find that there may have been more enforcement actions against banks and other financial institutions than casinos.
"While I certainly respect your moral opposition to expanded gaming, I must reiterate to you that Florida is currently a gaming state. There is no form of gambling that cannot occur in the state or on its waters. Between full-scale tribal casinos, pari-mutuels with slot machines, poker and wagering on races, cruises to nowhere with full-scale casinos, Internet cafes with slot machines, senior arcades, and the state-sponsored lottery, there is hardly an area of the state where your residents cannot gamble.
"While it is up to the state policymakers to determine the state's direction, and my company would certainly not try to enter the state through a creative loophole or enter a place where we were not wanted, I feel compelled to encourage you to address the state of gaming in Florida.
"The way that you prevent the many issues you were discussing (Thursday) in your press conference is through a strict regulatory process with highly vetted operators. You ensure operators are not entering the state through creative loopholes in the law and that the only type of gaming that occurs in Florida is that type of gaming that the Legislature and the governor have vetted and approved.
"Florida can no longer live under the illusion that it is a state that does not have gaming. However, your state has an excellent opportunity to do things the right way and ensure you attract the type of operators and facilities you can be proud of.
"We look forward to working with policymakers and current legitimate industry stakeholders toward this goal.
Reach Jim Turner at jturner@sunshinestatenews.com or (772) 215-9889.
