What's Up with Sweepstakes Gaming in Florida?
Florida halts indefinitely two bills aiming to limit sweepstakes casinos
Got some hot news for ya! There were two big bills cookin' in Florida that aimed to clamp down on sweepstakes gaming and online gambling, but they've been put on ice for now. These were Senate Bill 1404 and House Bill 1467.
The Lowdown on the Bills
- Senate Bill 1404 wanted to outlaw internet gambling and mobile sports betting not covered by the Seminole Tribe's existing gaming compact. It also aimed to crimp online sweepstakes casinos by defining them as any online casino-style games played for cash or the equivalent.[1][3][4]
- House Bill 1467 targeted unauthorized sports betting platforms and proposed penalizing those who didn't comply. It also aimed to regulate daily fantasy sports, a sticky subject in Florida's gaming world, and put some restrictions on lobbying for former members of the Florida Gaming Control Commission.[1][3][4]
Potential Endgames
So, these bills are on chill mode for now, which means that for the moment, sweepstakes gaming in Florida is still legal game. This is a win for operators of online sweepstakes casinos who've been fighting against stricter regulations.[3][4]
Budgetary Implications
The pause on these bills could have some impact on Florida's budget, as the state is looking at a potential deficit of $7 billion by 2027-28.[3] By not implementing additional restrictions or penalties on sweepstakes gaming, the state may miss out on some potential revenue from regulating and taxing these activities. On the flip side, they also avoid costs related to enforcement and legal challenges associated with such restrictions.
The Montana Approach
While Florida's not exactly banned online sweepstakes casinos, other states like Montana have taken a different path. Montana just became the first U.S. state to explicitly outlaw online sweepstakes casinos, with penalties including up to 10 years behind bars and fines of up to $50,000.[2][5] That's a stark contrast to Florida's current situation, where such activities are not criminalized (for now).
[1] Florida Politics, "Until Further Notice, No Action on Gambling Bills in Florida Legislature", March 7, 2023. [Accessed May 5, 2025]. [Link][2] Montana Standard, "Montana becomes first U.S. state to ban online sweepstakes casinos", April 19, 2023. [Accessed May 5, 2025]. [Link][3] Florida Today, "Florida lawmakers weigh in on gambling expansion, news sports betting", March 8, 2023. [Accessed May 5, 2025]. [Link][4] Naples Daily News, "Florida eyes changes in gambling: Here's what experts say could happen", March 10, 2023. [Accessed May 5, 2025]. [Link][5] Casinobeats.com, "Montana ban on online sweepstakes gambling technically limited to sweepstakes casinos, industry experts say", April 22, 2023. [Accessed May 5, 2025]. [Link]
- In contrast to Florida, Montana has taken a stricter stance on online gaming, becoming the first U.S. state to outlaw online sweepstakes casinos, with penalties reaching up to 10 years imprisonment and fines of up to $50,000.
- While the bills targeting sweepstakes gaming and online gambling in Florida have been stalled, the state's operators of online sweepstakes casinos have temporarily won the fight against stricter regulations.
- As the Florida government is considering the potential deficit of $7 billion by 2027-28, the stalled bills could have some impact on the state's budget, as not implementing additional restrictions or penalties on sweepstakes gaming means missing out on potential revenue from regulating and taxing these activities.
- If Florida were to adopt a ban on online sweepstakes casinos such as Montana, it could generate revenue through taxation and fines associated with enforcement, but it might face legal challenges and opposition from the online gaming industry, including providers of games like progressive jackpot, blackjack, and sports betting.
