Two anti-sweepstakes bills died in Florida recently. Bill HB 1467 died in committee after getting bogged down with unpopular amendments, and Bill SB 1404 was shelved by the Senate's Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government.
Bill SB 1404 sought to ban online sweepstakes games in the state of Florida that fell outside of the current tribal compact with the Seminole Tribe. Alongside SB1404, bill HB 1467 would set criminal penalties for gaming infractions.
The Social and Promotional Games Association (SPGA) called the development a "huge win, not just for the industry, but for every Floridian who values economic freedom and digital innovation."
Now, either bill could still technically be revived by Governor Ron DeSantis, but there has been no indication that the Governor would do so.
and Conditions
No Purchase Necessary. Void Where Prohibited by Law. Must Be 21 Years or Older. and Conditions Apply.
What Was at Stake with Both Florida Bills?
Bill 1404 would have banned any sweepstakes game not operated under the Hard Rock brand used by the Seminole Tribe. The Seminole Tribe's compact gives them exclusive rights to operate sports gambling in the state using a "spoke and hub" model.
As long as the server (hub) accepting a player's bet via a mobile app (spoke) is situated on tribal land, the conditions of the compact are met.
Related News
Sweepstakes Games Staking Wins
These recent wins in Florida add to several wins for a booming sweepstakes and social casino industry across the US. See our sweepstakes and social casino guide to learn the best places to play.
The industry's winning streak begins in Arkansas. Matt Dubfield withdrew his bill 1861 due to a lack of information, stating he needed to "study the issue further" before perhaps picking up the bill again. In Maryland, Bill 860 collapsed with for the motion fading. The same was true in Mississippi.
The SPGA celebrated the three wins by saying: "These bills shared the same fatal flaw: no fact and no foundation."
The Fight Isn't Over For Sweepstakes Games
Though currently on a winning streak, the sweepstakes industry still has several fights ahead. Last week, Louisiana approved bill SB 181, banning dual-currency games in the Bayou State. That bill, sponsored by Representative Adam Bass, ed the Senate with a unanimous 39-0 vote and is now in the House for their approval. Here, sweepstakes and social casino operators hope to convince representatives that this bill is not in their favor.
Connecticut bill SB 1235 recently received a unanimous vote from the Judiciary Committee, voting 37-0 in favor of banning sweepstakes games. Now the bill moves on to the House.
There's still time for Louisiana and Connecticut to change course. Sadly, that isn't the case in Montana, where bill SB 555 has been approved in both the Senate and the House and is back in the Senate for enrolling. That's the final step before being codified into law. Senator Vince Ricci's bill bans online casino that allows players to "wager using any form of currency".
