Noted in a report from earlier this month, another Florida gambling bill has picked up some momentum in the House. Rep. John Snyder’s wide-ranging HB 1467 was reported favorably out of the House Industries and Professional Activities Subcommittee at the end of a hearing at the beginning of this month. Noted in the article, the bill proposes many things, including but not limited to increasing punishments for operating and advertising illegal gambling, including making some violations a felony. Additionally, this includes banning betting on sports with knowledge that results are predetermined or with insider information and formalizing, legalizing, and regulating daily fantasy sports. Finally, this bill also looks at preventing someone from accepting a gaming industry job within two years of leaving a role with the Florida Gaming Control Commission.
In this report, SBS will be going over what to look for from the latest gaming news coming from the Sunshine State, as well as some additional notes and info coming from the state.
Per the same article, the bill is similar in language to several other pieces of legislation filed in the Sunshine State this session, including Sen. Corey Simon’s SB 1404, which advanced out of the Senate committee in late March. Introducing his bill, Snyder told the subcommittee that, “at a high level, this gives the Gaming Commission additional teeth for enforcement to find out illegal gambling operators, many of which are proven to prey on our most vulnerable senior citizens and put that activity to a stop.” Addressing a couple of questions regarding how sports betting and DFS fit into the bill, Snyder stressed that his legislation does not do anything to expand legal gambling but merely aims to take existing language from the state’s gaming compact with the Seminole Tribe and codify it in the state statute.
“What this really does is focus on bad actors and illicit gambling operations of any form or fashion … we’re trying to curtail that unregulated gambling that can happen in the shadows.” The bill had support from the likes of Underdog Sports and Victory Casinos Cruises but met with opposition from other groups.
Jonathan Zachem, representing the Amusement Machine Association of Florida, stood in opposition and opined that there needs to be more clarity in the terminology before lawmakers start talking about increasing penalties for various types of gaming. Representatives from Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and the Florida American Legion voiced concerns about a lack of clarity over the definition of what is legal vs. illegal gaming risks. This would also be criminalizing veterans’ gambling hobbies such as bingo and gaming machines in the state.
Speaking on behalf of the VFW and the Legion, Bill Helmich, a consultant and the interim executive director of the Republican Party of Florida, said the language in the statute is “clear as mud.” He would go on to say in the report, “What this bill does is take those clear-as-mud statutes and makes a perceived violation of them a felony,” Helmich said. That concern was echoed by Eric King, legislative director of the VFW Department of Florida.
Rep. Yvonne Hinson noted in the same article that she could not vote yes on the bill because she did not see enough clarity to move forward. “We need to get more clarity on what is and is not illegal gambling,” she said. “I am actually surprised that there is not more clarity in there for these veterans, so I am going to be down until I understand how they are protected.”
Snyder, a veteran himself, gave his word that he would do everything he could to bring clarity to this issue. “That’s the first thing I am hearing of it in any type of formal opposition,” he noted. “So I look forward to continuing to make this bill better.” The bill still has to progress through the Budget Committee and Commerce Committee before reaching the full House floor. Of course, there will definitely be more conversations during these meetings on how the bill will affect the state and its population. In years past, as regular readers of this space are aware, these gaming bills in the Sunshine State have to jump through multiple hoops and make sure a variety of parties are satisfied before they can move forward. Of course, time will tell if this will be the case with this latest bill and if the various gaming needs are met.
After you are all up to speed in relation to the latest news and updates coming from Florida, make sure to check out the excellent array of info for you only at SBS. Of course, for even more insights on the state covered here, the Florida sports betting guide is here to have your back with all of the latest updates coming from the region. Additionally, for those on the go and who qualify, the best betting apps rundown has you covered with all of the latest tips and tricks on mobile betting and beyond. Finally, for those who qualify, the best bonus betting sites breakdown is a fantastic page to peruse. Of course, qualified customers can check out the great resources on this page, like a catalogue of the latest and greatest welcome bonus offers.
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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