The regular legislative session is over in Florida, and with it are the hopes of passing HB 1467, the most comprehensive proposal related to gambling this year, noted in a recent report. Per the article, the wide-ranging gambling bill would have increased penalties for illegal gambling and bribing professional athletes, barred gaming regulators in the gaming industry, and decoupled thoroughbred tracks from live racing. The bill most recently died in committee and was also potentially seen as harmful to Florida’s racing industry.
In this article, SBS will be going over the latest news and notes coming from the world of Florida gaming, as well as some other notes and insights you can find only at SBS.
Noted in the same article, the bill, introduced in February by Florida Reps. John Snyder (R-Palm Beach) and Adam Anderson (R-Pinellas) had many goals, including: To increase penalties for both operating illegal gambling enterprises and bribing an athlete to throw a game, from misdemeanors to third-degree felonies on the first offense. This also includes barring Florida Gaming Control Commission employees from working in the state gaming industry for two years after leaving their jobs. This bill would also have allowed for the formal legalization and regulation of daily fantasy sports. Finally, this would have allowed Tampa Bay Downs and Gulfstream Park (the state’s two operational thoroughbred tracks) to “decouple” from live racing, no longer requiring them to offer a quota of races to operate other gambling activities such as slots and poker.
Per the same article, the bill passed the state House of Representatives and was referred to the Senate Rules Committee on April 28th. However, it never received a Senate hearing in the final week of this year’s session. Its failure is seen as a win by the thoroughbred industry, which noted that decoupling proved to be the final nail in the coffin of harness racing in the state. Finally, Florida’s legislative session ended last Friday. Though lawmakers voted to reconvene on May 12th and extend the regular session until June 6th to complete a still-unapproved budget, the agenda is limited to just a handful of items, and gambling is not one of them.
In other Sunshine State news, the non-tribal casino sector in Florida generated $66.7 million in revenue in March, down 0.25% compared to last year’s $66.9 million. The Florida Gaming Control Commission reported the highest revenue of the month at $13.1 million, up 0.02% compared to the previous year. Magic City Casino was close behind, with $13 million in net slot revenue, a 7% year-over-year increase from $12.1 million. Gulfstream Racino was the only other venue to show a considerable year-over-year rise, from $5.6 million to $6.3 million. The Big Easy Casino, Calder Racecourse, and Hialeah Park saw slot revenue fall in 2024. Big Easy dropped 3.1% and Calder declined 2.9%, while Hialeah Park’s revenue dropped from $9.7 million to $8.9 million, down 8%.
In another report, Senate Bill 1404 (SBS 1404), introduced by Sen. Corey Simon, opposed the operation of online sweepstakes casinos and broader forms of online gambling. The bill proposed banning internet casino gaming and mobile sports betting, which fall outside the state’s exclusive compact with the Seminole Tribe, which operates the Hard Rock brand. This legislation was viewed as a strategic move to consolidate the state’s online gambling under its tribal compact. However, the bill’s progress was halted after a substitute version failed to advance out of the Senate Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government.
The committee’s decision not to move forward with the measure effectively shelved it for the current session unless revived through an extension or special session ordered by Gov. Ron DeSantis. SB 1404 was seen not only as a means to eliminate unregulated or semi-unregulated competition from sweepstakes-based platforms but also as a potential prelude to a more expansive iGaming launch by Hard Rock in Florida. The proposed ban would have eliminated avenues currently used by sweepstakes casinos to operate under promotional contest laws, which some legal analysts argue allows them to function without violating Florida’s gambling statutes.
Finally, per the same report, the Social and Promotional Games Association (SPGA) commented in a statement: “The defeat of these bills continues a clear national trend… Lawmakers across the country are rejecting these anti-innovation, anti-business efforts that attempt to dictate what games American adults can play on their phones.” Indeed, it will be interesting to see what kind of new twists gaming will take in Florida.
Once you are all up to speed in relation to the latest gaming news and notes coming from the Sunshine State, make sure to tap into the excellent array of info for you at SBS. Of course, for even more analysis on the topic covered here, the Florida sports betting guide has your back with all kinds of excellent notes and updates coming from the Sunshine State and the locales within it. Conversely, for those looking to maximize their wagers, the best bonus betting sites rundown is a fantastic page to check out. Here you can find all kinds of exciting promotions and bonuses that eligible customers can tap into. Finally, for those who qualify and are interested, the VIP sports betting sites rundown is an excellent page for qualified customers who are looking for some higher-stakes wagering.
About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football and basketball across the country. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones. CURRENTLY Business Development and freelance sports writing RESIDES IN Reno, NV EDUCATION University of Nevada BS and MBA EXPERTISE -Sports writing proficiency in: NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and some motor sports -Topical news -Promotional and marketing ideas/updates -Business development Summary Chris Boline serves in a business development sales capacity as his day job. He has previously held sales/marketing positions with The Applied Companies (TAC), KTVN 2 News and the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He is a Reno native and is a member of various community boards including the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET and the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA). Chris graduated from the University of Nevada in 2015 with a bachelors in management and economics and also earned his MBA from Nevada in 2023. More about Chris: Past president of the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA) 2022-23 Two-time honoree for University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year (Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, 2017 & COBAA, 2021) 2021 NCET award for Professional Services Organization of the Year with TAC Northern Nevada Human Resources Association 2020 Best Places to Work-Northern Nevada, Second Place with TAC 2016-17 Reno Bighorns MVP from the Sacramento Kings The Nevada Sagebrush editor-in-chief 2013-15 Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Four-year Non-daily Newspaper Pacemaker honoree University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Dean's List honoree (5x) from 2011-2015 Nevada Press Association award for Best Sports Column – Community in 2015 Education
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