Florida Passes Sports Betting Bill, Could Launch By October
- The sports betting bill in Florida was passed by both the Senate and the House.
- The deal is awaiting approval by the federal government before the final regulations can be put in place.
- Sports betting could launch by October 15.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Sports betting fans in Florida will soon see their own regulated market after both the House and Senate vote to approve legal sports betting.
The House voted 97-17 and the Senate approved 38-1 showing an overwhelmingly positive view on the expanded gambling market in the Sunshine State.
The Florida Seminole Tribe will be in charge of the legal sports betting market in Florida. The final regulations will be set later in the year.
Florida Approves Sports Betting
Not quite at the finish line yet, but Florida just became closer to being a state that allows sports betting.
Even if the compact is killed by the federal government or courts, this is a good sign for sports betting eventually coming to the Sunshine State. https://t.co/4lfNwbFJED
— Darren Heitner (@DarrenHeitner) May 19, 2021
The new expanded Florida gambling market could be official as early as October 15. This would launch sports betting in Florida during the NFL season and before the NBA season starts.
In addition to sports betting, the Seminole Tribe is afforded the option to build three new casino operations on its Hollywood Reservations.
The estimated yearly income from the new expanded gambling bill is $500 million annually and this ended up being one of the biggest selling points to House Reps and Senators.
Florida will now become the largest US state with a legal sports betting market once it officially launches.
Next Steps
The bill is now awaiting federal approval which could take up to 45 days. Following this, lawmakers will iron out the final details of the sports betting bill.
The bill initially hosted options for mobile and online casinos, but these were removed during the legislative sessions.
Ron DeSantis and the Seminole Tribe agreed on mobile betting, but legislators could not which led to a major roadblock. Online sports betting through pari-mutuel websites were passed, however.
This means that just mobile and online casino gambling won’t be launching in Florida when sports betting officially is made available to residents.
Florida will also have to navigate potential lawsuits incoming. Florida has many opponents to expanding legal gambling including former Florida Governor Jeb Bush.
Florida voters approved Amendment 3 in 2018 which blocked the expansion of gambling in Florida without referendum approval. These are potential hiccups that could delay Florida sports betting launching in 2021.