Florida Sweepstakes Prohibition Bill Moves Forward in Senate

• A second Florida Senate committee has granted a favorable report to a bill that includes a prohibition on sweepstakes gaming
• Sen. Corey Simon‘s (R-3) bill, SB 1404, now moves to the Senate fiscal policy committee
• The legislation also seeks increased penalties for offering, and participating in, illegal gambling in the state

A bill to increase penalties for illegal Florida sports betting, illegal gambling, and a prohibition on sweepstakes gaming has moved forward in Senate with yet another favorable report.

The Florida Senate Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government today voted to give Sen. Corey Simon‘s (R-3) bill, SB 1404, a favorable report. His legislation seeks to increase penalties for illegal Florida sports betting and gambling, while also including a prohibition on sweepstakes gaming in the state.

“Without more substantial penalties, illegal gambling will continue to spread, siphoning money from Florida,” Simon said at the hearing.

Prohibiting Illegal Online Gambling and Sports Betting

Simon’s legislation has successfully moved through two Senate committees and will next be heard by members of the fiscal policy committee.

Simon’s bill prohibits “internet gambling” and “internet sports betting” outside of the Seminole Tribe’s gaming compact with Florida, which effectively bans sweepstake gaming as well.

Internet gambling in the bill is defined as the following:

“‘Internet gambling’ means to play or engage in any game in which money or other thing of value is awarded based on chance, regardless of any application of skill, that is available on the Internet and accessible on a mobile device, computer terminal, or other similar access device and simulates casino-style gaming, including, but not limited to, slot machines, video poker, and table games.

Online sports betting in the bill is defined in a similar manner, prohibiting bets of real money or “other things of value upon the result of any trial or contest of skill, speed, power or endurance of human or beast” that is available online.

If Simon’s bill is approved, it will make both a third-degree felony. It will not affect the Seminole Tribe’s ability to offer Florida sports betting or iGaming, however. The bill does not include daily fantasy sports language, as another bill dealing with DFS is being worked on in the legislature.

If signed into law, the bill will go into effect on Oct. 1, 2025.

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More Clarification Needed

While the bill did move forward, several members of the committee urged Simon to continue working towards clarifying exactly what is illegal in his bill.

Both Sen. Jason W. B. Pizzo (D-37) and Sen. Colleen Burton (R-12) voted in favor of the legislation, but noted work is still needed to make the language of the proposed legislation more clear. Were this the bill’s final committee stop, Burton revealed she would have voted against the document.

Additionally, a number of Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion representatives spoke up against the bill. Both groups in the state house electronic gaming machines in their respective member halls, for charitable purposes only, and confusion still exists if these machines will be illegal under Simon’s bill.

“We’ll continue to push this forward. I, like you, are looking for a very black and white issue, and there seems to be far too many gray issues right now…if we can’t find a good landing spot, we won’t move the bill,” he said.