Gambling legislation stalled in the legislature for years may finally pass this year. Backers have been negotiating with reluctant lawmakers, and both sides say a deal may be forming.

Lawmakers have spent much of the last week negotiating behind the scenes over gambling bills – in an apparent effort to simplify the legislation to allow voters to decide yes or no to gambling.

Gambling has been pushed hard by casino and gaming interests for most of the last decade.

“There are sixty to eighty lobbyists down here every year representing some facet of gambling. And yet it’s not passed,” said Mike Griffin.