Florida lawmakers get

their first look at the $3 billion gambling deal between the Seminole tribe and the state.

TALLAHASSEE — The $3 billion gambling deal between the Seminole tribe and the state took one step forward in the Florida Legislature Tuesday, and another step back.

The House Regulatory Affairs Committee approved the agreement by a 12-6 vote, with a mix of Democrats and Republicans on either side. That mixed vote illustrates why the deal has had such a hard time in the Legislature — competing interests between antigambling groups, pari-mutuel casinos, horse and dog breeders, the Seminole tribe, and many more have put lawmakers into a variety of camps that support parts of, or none of, the agreement.

Those competing interests have postponed for at least a week similar hearings in the Florida Senate that were supposed to take place Tuesday as well.

“If you were to tell me when I was running for office that I would be graced with the privilege of negotiating this compact, I probably would have run the other way,” said Regulatory Affairs chair Jose Felix Diaz, R-Miami.

The 20-year agreement would guarantee the state $3 billion over its first seven years. In return, the Seminoles would be allowed to offer craps and roulette at the tribe’s seven casinos throughout the state. But the final dollar amount the deal could bring to Florida’s coffers could be much higher.

The amount is tied to revenue sharing between the state and the tribe, so it’s impossible to say just how much Florida could make, but “over the life of the [deal], we’re going to look at close to $9 billion,” Diaz said.

The gaming agreement would be the “most lucrative … in the history of Florida, and perhaps in the history of the country,” Diaz said.

Under the terms of the deal, the Legislature can make numerous reforms to pari-mutuels that would not break the agreement. Some of those reforms were included in the final bill that passed out of the House committee, including some tax breaks for parimutuel casinos.

But the most controversial aspect was a section that allows pari-mutuel casinos to stop racing on site but continue with casino operations.

A separate bill, which would place a constitutional amendment on the November ballot that, if approved, would require voter approval for any further expansion of gambling, passed as well.

The Senate Regulated Industries Committee was supposed to offer bills as well, but chair Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island, post- poned that hearing to give committee members time to read through and understand a series of amendments proposed by state Sen. Joe Negron, R-Stuart.

“I talked to Rep. Diaz once I realized where this was headed and he fully understood that we needed some time to digest it,” Bradley said. “The decision to postpone consideration of this bill today had nothing to do with vote counts and had everything to do with the fact that this is a complex issue.’’

Negron is trying to amend the agreement to specifically permit fantasy sports sites such as Fan Duel and Draft Kings and regulate those sites.