Florida bill cracking down on fantasy sports betting advances in House
Related video: Tampa Hard Rock Casino debuts new games including in-person sports betting
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — New regulations for fantasy sports betting are being considered in Florida after a bill passed through a House panel on Thursday.
The bill, named the Fantasy Sports Contest Amusement Act, would ban platforms from offering bets on sporting events or from offering competitive fantasy games, and would ban ads for casinos with depictions of “slot machine-style symbols, cards, 120 dice, craps, roulette, or lotto.”
Bets would not be able to be placed on things such as the score of a sporting event, the point spread, or the statistical performance(s) of a team or individual athlete(s). This extends to card games such as poker and college, high school, or youth sporting events.
The new regulations would only affect fantasy sports games with payouts of more than $1,500 per season or more than $10,000 per year. Players would have to be told the prize amounts before games and need to be 21 years old to participate.
The bill was approved by the House Commerce Committee seven to one and will take effect July 1 if fully approved by the Florida Legislature.
When asked for a statement regarding the regulations, the Seminole Tribe of Florida refused to comment.
Sports betting in Florida has had a rocky history, especially online. In April 2021, Gov. DeSantis and the Seminole Tribe of Florida agreed on an updated 30-year gaming compact to bring online sports betting to the state.
Shortly after, Magic City Casino and Bonita Springs Poker Room sued the U.S. Department of Interior for approving the compact, claiming it would harm their businesses and that it violated federal law. A federal judge then blocked betting in the state, saying the compact did violate federal law before later saying the ruling was incorrect.
In November 2023, the Florida Supreme Court refused to block sports betting while legal challenges continued, a request from West Flag;er Associates. The return of sports betting led to the launch of the Seminole Tribe’s mobile sports betting app, the launch of new in-person betting games at Tampa Hard Rock Casino, and Florida residents getting in on Super Bowl betting for the first time.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
