Florida’s Attorney General Bill McCollum has added his voice to calls that the Seminole Tribe of Florida shut down the Class III gaming in its casinos.

Governor Charlie Crist’s office has confirmed that the US Department of the Interior has approved the expanded gambling compact the Governor signed with the Seminole Indian Tribe in November but opposition to the deal within the state shows no sign of lessening.

Florida Governor Charlie Crist yesterday announced a 25-year compact with the Seminole Tribe of Florida to allow Class III gaming on their seven tribal sites in the state. But while the deal beat a federally-imposed deadline by just one day, it is set to face stiff legal challenges from the legislature, which has so far been denied a say.

Florida’s Supreme Court has ruled that Governor Charlie Crist exceeded his authority when he negotiated a compact last year that let the Seminole tribe offer Class III games including blackjack and baccarat at its Florida casinos. The decision is a setback for the cash-strapped state and its preeminent tribe, who vowed to challenge the ruling.

The Florida Senate has approved legislative proposals to expand the number of VLT machines and lower tax rates at thoroughbred tracks in Florida. The aim of the bills is to help the tracks’ owners compete with the newly expanded Class III gaming being offered by the State’s Seminole tribe, but both measures face significant opposition.

Florida Governor Charlie Crist expects his state to rake in a hefty $400m from expanded gambling for the fiscal year 2008-2009. But on top of revenue from the newly signed gambling compacts with the Seminole Indian tribe, Governor Crist has also authorized a significant expansion of the state lottery – attracting the criticism of anti-gambling interests in the state Legislature.

Florida Governor Charlie Crist on Monday inked a gambling compact with the Seminole Indian Tribe that his office estimates could add as much as $6.8bn to the Sunshine State’s coffers over the next 20 years.

Representatives from Governor Crist’s office and the Seminole Indian tribe told federal officials yesterday that a gaming compact could be signed within the next week, but any deal will likely face significant opposition from conservative politicians within the state.

Attorney General Bob McCollum has recommended that the US Supreme Court refuses to review a state court decision from last year that called for an expanded gambling deal signed between the Seminole Tribe and Governor Charlie Crist to be subject to approval in the Florida legislature.

A special Florida House committee last night threw out a proposed deal to allow the Seminole tribe to expand gambling at their casinos in the state.