An exclusive Bay News 9/News 13 Florida Decides Poll released Wednesday found more than half of eligible voters support legalizing casino gaming in the Sunshine State, but a would-be amendment to the state constitution would fall short of passing.
The poll of likely Florida voters, conducted Wednesday, Oct. 28 – Sunday, Nov. 1, found 55 percent of those surveyed favored the legalization of casino-style gambling.
Of those polled, 34 percent said they opposed the idea, and 10 percent said they were undecided.
A proposed amentment would need 60 percent approval from voters to pass in Florida.
Some voters we spoke with said they needed to know more before they made a decision.
"I don't know where the money is going," said Shontay Blakeley, an undecided voter. "Is it going to be for education? Is it going to be going to scholarships? I think that would make a difference for me."
In the United States, 37 states have legalized casino-style gaming. Florida currently has a lottery, and certain games are allowed on Native American reservations, where casinos like the Seminole Hard Rock in Tampa contribute billions of dollars to Florida's economy.
Complete Poll Results
Q: Do you support or oppose legalizing casino gaming in Florida?
| ALL | TOTAL | |
|---|---|---|
| Support | 55% | |
| Oppose | 34% | |
| Not Sure | 10% |
| GENDER | Male | Female | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Support | 60% | 51% | ||
| Oppose | 32% | 37% | ||
| Not Sure | 8% | 12% | ||
| AGE GROUP | 18–34 | 35–49 | 50–64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Support | 58% | 64% | 54% | 48% |
| Oppose | 25% | 27% | 37% | 44% |
| Not Sure | 18% | 9% | 9% | 8% |
| Under 50 | 50+ | |||
| Support | 62% | 51% | ||
| Oppose | 26% | 40% | ||
| Not Sure | 12% | 9% | ||
| HISPANIC | Cuban | Non-Cuban | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Support | 57% | 55% | ||
| Oppose | 26% | 34% | ||
| Not Sure | 17% | 11% | ||
| RACE | White | Black | Asian / Other | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Support | 56% | 57% | 48% | |
| Oppose | 35% | 26% | 39% | |
| Not Sure | 9% | 16% | 13% |
| PARTY REGISTRATION | Republican | Democrat | Unaffiliated | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Support | 53% | 57% | 59% | |
| Oppose | 39% | 31% | 31% | |
| Not Sure | 8% | 12% | 10% |
| AFFILIATION | Republican | Democrat | Independent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Support | 52% | 57% | 59% | |
| Oppose | 40% | 31% | 31% | |
| Not Sure | 8% | 12% | 10% |
| IDEOLOGY | Conservative | Moderate | Liberal | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Support | 53% | 55% | 60% | |
| Oppose | 38% | 34% | 30% | |
| Not Sure | 9% | 11% | 11% |
| TOP ISSUE | Economy | Immigration | National Security | Health Care |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Support | 57% | 56% | 52% | 67% |
| Oppose | 35% | 36% | 41% | 26% |
| Not Sure | 8% | 8% | 8% | 7% |
| EDUCATION | High School | Some College | College Degree | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Support | 57% | 57% | 54% | |
| Oppose | 30% | 31% | 39% | |
| Not Sure | 13% | 12% | 8% |
| INCOME | Under $40K | $40K – $80K | Over $80K | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Support | 53% | 58% | 56% | |
| Oppose | 33% | 33% | 37% | |
| Not Sure | 14% | 9% | 7% |
| REGION | Northwest | Northeast | Central | Southwest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Support | 49% | 49% | 54% | 53% |
| Oppose | 37% | 39% | 36% | 38% |
| Not Sure | 14% | 11% | 10% | 9% |
| Southeast | ||||
| Support | 62% | |||
| Oppose | 29% | |||
| Not Sure | 9% | |||
About the Poll
The poll was conducted Wednesday, Oct. 28 – Sunday, Nov. 1, 2015 by SurveyUSA for Bay News 9 and News 13.
3,000 state of Florida adults were interviewed. Of the adults, 2,712 were registered to vote in the state of Florida. Of the registered voters, 2,400 were determined to be likely to vote in the Nov. 8, 2016 general election. Of the registered voters, SurveyUSA determined that 922 were likely to vote in the Republican primary, and 826 were likely to vote in the Democratic primary, both on March 15, 2016.
This research was conducted using blended sample, mixed mode: respondents reachable on their home telephone (69% of registered voters) were interviewed on their home telephone in the recorded voice of a professional announcer. Respondents not reachable on a home telephone (31% of registered voters) were shown a questionnaire on their smartphone, tablet or other electronic device. Barack Obama carried Florida (the state was "blue") in both 2008 and 2012.
NOTE: Figures may not sum to 100 percent due to rounding.