Gulfstream Park racetrack is asking a judge to block the Florida Gaming Control Commission (FGCC) from requiring it to run a full calendar of live racing as a condition of its slot machine licensing, a new report notes. Noted there, Gulfstream claims unfair licensing rules for live racing and is challenging the Act as “unconstitutional.” Additionally, critics have warned that this could be a threat to Florida’s thoroughbred racing industry. The lawsuit, filed in the Florida Supreme Court, argues the Decoupling Act, approved by the legislature in 2021, is unconstitutional because it violates the racetrack’s equal protection rights. Moreover, the legislation was enacted in the wake of Florida’s greyhound racing ban, a constitutional amendment approved by voters in 2018. It allowed parimutuel facilities to “decouple” from their requirement to offer live harness racing or jai alai with more lucrative gambling games.
For this article, SBS will be going over the latest gaming news and notes coming from the Sunshine State, along with some additional thoughts regarding Florida gaming and more.
Also covered in the same article, a special carveout was made for the thoroughbred racing industry because lawmakers and stakeholders believed it remained viable and vital to Florida’s agricultural and tourism sectors. However, it was not fair, according to Gulfstream Park, which argues the law favors competing gambling operators at its expense. The lawsuit also asks for a declaration that the Act was unconstitutional and an injunction to prevent the FGCC from suspending the track’s license if it pulls live racing. “This is a matter of fair and equal treatment under the law, which the Decoupling Act clearly and intentionally violates,” Marie Long, General Counsel of 1/ST, Gulfstream Park’s parent company, said.
“This is not about racing – we are committed to a sustainable future for racing,” Long would add. “It is about our inability to compete with the private slot operators who do not have to meet the same obligations we must meet to run our business, because they receive special treatment at our expense.”
Per the article, many believe that decoupling would sound the death knell for Florida’s thoroughbred industry, as it did for harness racing. The state’s last standardbred track, Caesars-owned Pompano Park, ceased live racing in 2022, less than a year after the legislation passed. In a statement, Lonny Powell, CEO of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association, called the lawsuit “deeply troubling.” He would go on to say, “This lawsuit is about Gulfstream Park wanting to operate a casino without fulfilling their racing responsibilities,” Powell said. “The 2021 decoupling law was designed to preserve Florida’s core horse racing institutions. Gulfstream Park’s attempt to overturn it would open the floodgates, eroding Thoroughbred racing statewide, threatening family farms, rural jobs, and a multibillion-dollar agricultural economy.”
Gulfstream Park backed a bill this year that would have allowed it and the only other operational thoroughbred track in the state, Tampa Bay Downs, to decouple racing from their other gambling operations. However, the measure failed to pass in the legislature.
In other news, M.G.B., a former petition worker from Gainesville, has been found guilty on multiple counts of identity fraud connected to a failed attempt to expand casino gambling in Florida. The 26-year-old woman was convicted on 13 of 16 counts of personal identification fraud after investigators linked her to a large number of fake petition signatures during the Las Vegas Sand Corp’s controversial 2021 ballot campaign. She was initially arrested in August 2023, booked at the Alachua County Jail on an $80,000 bond, and eventually transferred to Marion County Jail. She pleaded not guilty in September and waived her right to a speedy trial at the end of the same year.
Additionally, each of the 13 counts is classified as a second-degree felony under Florida law, which means they each carry a potential sentence of up to 15 years in prison. If Judge Peter Brightam, who presided over the case prosecuted by assistant state attorney Janine Nixon, imposes the maximum penalty on all 13 counts, M.B. could face as much as 195 years behind bars. Two more charges tied to separate conduct increase her total possible sentence to a staggering 210 years. There is also some backstory here, as in 2021, the Las Vegas Sands invested nearly $50 million into a political action committee named Florida Voters in Change (FVC). This was with the purpose of putting a measure on the 2022 ballot that would allow existing card rooms in North Florida to convert into full-scale casinos.
Once you are all up to speed in relation to the latest gaming news and notes coming from Florida, make sure to check out the excellent array of information for you at SBS. Additionally, for those intrigued by more information on the topic covered here, the Florida sports betting guide has your back with a ton of great info as it relates to the state and also gaming in it. Moreover, for those who are eligible and interested, the BetOnline sportsbook review breakdown is a fun page that goes over the perks of the outlet and more. Here, eligible players can learn more about the outlet and whether it might make sense for them. Finally, for those interested in some higher-stakes wagering, the VIP sports betting sites rundown is a fantastic page that covers of VIP wagering and if it makes sense for you.
About the Author
Chris Boline is a Reno-based business development professional and freelance sports writer with over a decade of experience covering the NBA G League, Los Angeles Chargers, and national football and basketball. His expertise spans the NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and motorsports, along with topical news, marketing, and promotional content. A proud University of Nevada graduate, Chris earned both his BS in Management & Economics (2015) and MBA (2023). He is active in the Reno community, serving on boards such as the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET, and the College of Business Alumni Association, where he was past president (2022–23). Notable honors include: - Two-time University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year honoree (2017, 2021) - 2021 NCET Professional Services Organization of the Year (with TAC) - 2016–17 Reno Bighorns MVP, awarded by the Sacramento Kings - Nevada Press Association Award for Best Sports Column (2015) - Former Editor-in-Chief of The Nevada Sagebrush Chris blends his passion for sports with a strong background in sales, marketing, and community engagement.
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