Florida lawmakers proposed two bills, SB 1404 and HB 1467, to stop any form of online betting that is not covered by Florida’s Seminole contracts. If passed to the law, they restrict the operation of the state’s online gambling, especially many sweepstakes casinos and sports betting platforms. However, both bills have been withdrawn from consideration until further notice.
Under SB 1404, announced by Senator Corey Simon, internet gambling was defined as an external value of a casino-style game or game played to win money. The bill was intended to ban online casinos that are not under the Seminole tribe. The bill poses a threat to many unregulated gambling casinos.
Despite this, many players play their favorite casino games at Tinave casino. Players turn to these casinos because of their large game library, large bonuses and payouts. Also, you don’t have to worry about using multiple login details when accessing multiple casino sites. You can log in with just one set.
Alternate casinos offer players multiple options, but SB 1404 makes visiting such sites illegal as it describes online gambling as a three-time felony. The bill will centralize the state’s gaming platforms under contracts with the Seminoles, making it difficult for other platforms to thrive. This removes possible competition from semi-regulated or unregulated sweepstakes platforms.
The bill passed two Senate committees, but was suspended by the Senate Budget Committee on Agriculture, Environment and General Government. The committee has decided to shelve the bill for now and can only be reviewed if Gov. Ron DeSantis requests a special session.
HB 1467 proposed criminal penalties for those involved in sports betting activities not being carried out on the Hard Rock platform. The bill focuses on sports betting, but is part of a larger plan to close loopholes in the Florida Game Control Committee (FGCC) regulatory framework.
The bill includes provisions that will increase the cooling-up period for former FGCC members before former FGCC members can partner with sports betting and fantasy sports companies. HB 1467 also brings Daily Sports Fantasy (DFS) under the jurisdiction of FGCC. The regulations leading to DFS operators are unknown, and in most cases DFS operators are not supervised by the state. By bringing them under the FGCC, the bill aims to provide a clear regulatory framework for that section of the industry.
The bill was being carried out through various committees, including the Budget Committee and the Subcommittee of Industrial and Professional Activities, but was suspended by the Commercial Committee after several amendments and ultimately led to a withdrawal.
Supporters of both bills claim that HB 1467 and SB 1404 protect consumers, while critics argue that they can limit consumer choices and competition. The Social and Promotional Games Association (SPGA) praises development and says it views it as a progressive step towards innovation. The SPGA added that the victory has rejected anti-gaming bills that stumbled by lawmakers’ creativity and growth in the gambling industry, and that the bill aims to control how the average American adult plays online casino games on the phone.
