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Two bills were put on the table in the Florida legislature this week, to extend the state’s ban on gambling.
Sweepstakes casinos, internet casino gaming, and online sportsbook activity outside of the agreement with the Seminole Tribe would all be outlawed if the proposed legislation is enacted.
On Monday (Feb. 24), Rep. Walter Barnaby filed HB953, followed by Sen. Corey Simon on Wednesday with his S1404 in the upper chamber.
The wording of the bills has been left open to interpretation, potentially alluding to an opportunity for the Seminole Tribe to cut a deal with Hard Rock on an internet casino venture.
An important inclusion in the bills is the extension of the ban to cover “internet gambling” and “internet sports wagering”
Intent to challenge sweepstakes
Hard Rock’s betting venture signed a 30-year compact with the Sunshine State back in 2021, said to be worth around $500 million per year.
This significant deal enabled the growth of its retail casino suite of games to include Class III gaming, as well as mobile sportsbooks, with the offering available since December 2023.
That was after the agreement was able to withstand serious legal hurdles at state and federal levels.
Across both bills, “internet gambling” has been given the same definition, with the key phrase reading “simulates casino-style gaming.” This appears to be a signal of intent to challenge sweepstakes casinos, which are often operated on a free-to-play basis with incentives and rewards that can result in payouts.
With internet sports betting, the language used in the bills is more straightforward as those bans are currently in place.
Legal penalties are in place for providers and players of this form of gambling in Florida, with bettors guilty of a second-degree misdemeanor if they are found to be involved.
A warning can be issued, as it takes two offenses to reach the threshold for action to be taken on illicit online sports betting.
Image credit: Via Grok/X
