Gadsden County Slot Machine Referendum (January 2012)

A Gadsden County Slot Machine Referendum was on the January 31, 2012 ballot in Gadsden County.

This measure was approved

• YES 62.04% a
• NO 37.96%

This measure sought to allow slot machines at the Creek Entertainment Gretna Racing center which will be opening in the next month. The facility is allowed to have a vote on slots if it has a certain number of events held at the location over a two year period. The main event to be held at the center would be horse barrel racing. Even though this measure got approved, legal challenges are expected. The Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi had stated that the law only permits slots to be in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. The Department of Business and Professional Regulation, the department which would issue a license for gambling for the counties, had stated that it would follow the Attorney General and not issue a license.

Text of measure

The question on the ballot:

	Shall slot machines be approved for use at the pari-mutuel horsetrack facility in Gretna, FL?

Additional reading

• The Horse, "County Set to Vote on Florida Barrel Racing," November 1, 2011