Florida’s SB 1404 Advances to Ban Online Gambling
Florida’s Senate Bill 1404 (SB 1404) cleared its first hurdle, sailing through the Senate Regulated Industries Committee with a unanimous nod.
Senate Panel Gives Green Light
The bill’s mission: stamp out internet gambling and online sports betting, except what’s run by the Seminole Tribe. It’s now headed to the Senate Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government for more scrutiny, with the legislative session clock ticking down to April 11.
It defines “internet gambling” as online games dishing out cash or prizes by chance, like slots, video poker, or table games, played on phones or computers.
Sweepstakes outfits can’t offer sports bets either. If it passes, running an illegal gambling site becomes a third-degree felony, with prison time and steep fines on the table.
Players caught in the act face second-degree misdemeanor charges. The Seminole Tribe’s monopoly stays ironclad, tied to its 30-year Hard Rock Bet deal with the state.
Seminole Lock and Critics’ Pushback
The bill doubles down on the Seminoles’ grip. Their 2021 compact already hands them exclusive rights to physical and mobile sports betting, $2.5 billion in revenue by 2030, per state estimates.
SB 1404 locks that in for online casinos too, shutting out rivals. The Florida Gaming Control Commission’s acting director backs it, and an amendment bars ex-regulators from jumping to gambling jobs for two years post-exit, aiming to keep oversight tight.
Critics argue it chokes competition, keeping Florida from joining top online gambling states like New Jersey, with its $11 billion betting haul in 2024, per AGA stats.
They say the Seminole-only setup stifles a market that could rake in more if opened up. Still, the bill’s got legs, matching proposals float in both chambers, but SB 1404’s the one to beat after its committee win.
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