The effort to bring three mega resort casinos to South Florida is dead for the 2012 legislative session. The house bill was pulled from committee just minutes before a scheduled vote. And now, House leaders say they won’t allow the gambling bill to be heard on the House floor this year.

More than a million dollars has been spent lobbying for increased gambling. An Asian casino corporation spent 300 million on a site in Miami, but it is all for not.

A packed house committee was poised to vote no before the bill’s sponsor withdrew the measure killing it for this year. Opponents are joyous.

“We are pleased that hopefully this issue is dead for this session and the legislature can returned to being focused on some of the really important issues,” said David Hart, with the Florida Chamber of Commerce.

“This was a huge move this morning and it effectively kills the bill,” said Bill Bunkley, with the Florida Baptist Convention.

TV ads have pushed job creation as the best reason to support casinos. Supporters say Florida is missing an opportunity.

“The companies that have all shown support see Florida as a state that has many amenities that we would want to invest in,” said Jessica Hoppe, with Genting World Resorts Miami.

In the legislative process, there is almost always a way to resurrect the dead, but the house rules chairman is saying no tricks to bring gambling back will be allowed.

Click on the Video Icon to see this story and comments from St. Rep. Jimmy Patronis of Panama City.
Uncertain in the casino bill’s death is what happens to efforts to regulate Internet cafes. Every one involved expects the issue to be back next year. The power brokers on each side of the issue are expected to dump millions more in to political campaigns and TV ads.