Florida HB 1467 Pushes Tougher Illegal Gambling Penalties
Florida’s HB 1467, filed by Reps. John Snyder and Adam Anderson on February 28, 2025, aims to tighten the screws on illegal gambling. The bill, which cleared the House Industries and Professional Activities Subcommittee on April 1, 2025, with a favorable report, now awaits nods from the Budget and Commerce Committees before hitting the House floor.
Cracking Down on Illegal Gaming
The bill, per CS/HB 1467, upgrades first-time offenses for running illegal gambling venues from misdemeanors to third-degree felonies. Employees knowingly involved face a misdemeanor for a first offense, but felonies for repeats.
HB 1467 also bans betting on sports or fantasy contests with insider knowledge and bars ex-Florida Gaming Control Commission members from gaming industry jobs for two years post-exit to avoid conflicts.
With Florida’s $9 billion legal betting market, HB 1467 targets the $500 million black market.
New Laws, New Stakes
HB 1467 amends statutes like s. 849.01, making operating a gambling house a third-degree felony, and s. 849.14, elevating betting on skill contests to the same level.
The Criminal Code’s severity table now aligns with these changes, building on a 2024 Senate bill that stalled in the House. The Florida Gaming Control Commission, which oversees $200 million in enforcement, backs the bill.
The bill preempts local gambling rules to the state, ensuring consistency. Illegal arcades, per a 2023 Tampa Bay Times report, pull $20,000-$60,000 monthly, and HB 1467 aims to make penalties outweigh profits.
Veterans Raise Red Flags
Opposition surfaced at the April 1 hearing. Bill Helmich, speaking for Veterans of Foreign Wars and Florida American Legion, called the bill’s language “clear as mud.”
He warned, “What this bill does is take those clear-as-mud statutes and makes a perceived violation of them a felony,” risking charges against veterans for legal bingo games.
Rep. Yvonne Hinson agreed, saying, “I did not see enough clarity to proceed,” and voted no, citing veterans’ concerns. Jonathan Zachem of the Amusement Machine Association of Florida urged clearer game definitions before harsher fines.
HB 1467 awaits Budget and Commerce Committee reviews, with Senate companion SB 1404 also advancing. If passed, it could yield $1 million yearly in fines, boosting enforcement. Legal betting via Hard Rock Bet remains unaffected, but illegal venues face scrutiny. If refined, HB 1467 could pass by summer.
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