Can Florida See SB 392 Pass?

SB 392 isn’t the first attempt at getting a sports betting bill through in Florida, as Brandes had attempted to do so before back in 2020. There are many that expect 392 to follow the same path as previous attempts but what is it that’s causing the issues for 392 and previous bills, and what could be the reason for it passing this time around?

The big crux is around the Seminole Tribe, the owners of the Hard Rock casino corp, that claim they have exclusive rights over gambling in the state. Similar issues had arisen in California, as the different tribes claim exclusivity over gambling rights with seemingly little wiggle room to maneuver around, and with the classification in Class III of the gaming definition, it seems for now at least there’s no way around the categorization of sports betting. With Hard Rocks’ recent expansion outwards into a digital space for sports betting and iGaming, it does seem that this may only be a small tweak needed as gaming in Florida does seem to be moving that way anyway.

The other indicator that changes may well be on the way and something that can’t be ignored is within the impact of the coronavirus pandemic throughout the past year and leading well into 2021 too. Similar rumblings have started in other states that are yet to legalize sports betting or gambling as the market could provide a way to help recover the economy in each state individually.

With the bill stating a proposed 15% tax for sports betting revenue and a licensing fee at $100,000, a surge of operators coming into the state could provide some financial aid that would certainly be needed. With the betting bill rooted behind a lottery bill, which has been successful elsewhere and welcome offers and bonus codes have certainly helped recovery here too, as these PA Lottery Bonus Code have been used widely throughout the start of the year and could do the same in this instance too.

The opportunity is certainly there it seems, and it is now largely about pushing things over the final hurdle, with now being primed as the perfect time to do so. With growing support over recent years as changing attitudes toward gaming and betting online specifically opening the door somewhat, the response may be different this time around. One thing that may not be able to continue, however, is the submission of the same bill year after year with little change.

If 392 falls through once again then some bigger changes may be needed in the wording to get it moving a little faster, it seems current approaches have done little to sway attitudes and something more drastic may be needed. Even baby steps forward to step forward, and perhaps the key to success lays in something less broad and less far-reaching, with a push coming into different betting markets at a later date once an initial bill has been established.