- Florida lawmakers are considering elevating penalties for illegal gambling
- The proposed felony penalties would apply only to those who operate illegal gambling — not players
- Unlicensed game rooms and arcades with slots continue to operate across the Sunshine State
Another Florida gambling bill seeks to strengthen law enforcement’s ability to prosecute persons convicted of violating the Sunshine State’s statutes on casino games.
Filed in February by Florida Reps. John Snyder (R-Palm Beach) and Adam Anderson (R-Pinellas), House Bill 1467 seeks to toughen punishments for individuals who run illegal gambling enterprises. The legislation would increase such a conviction from a misdemeanor to a felony of the third degree on the first offense. It’s similar to legislation last year that cleared the Florida Senate but stalled in the House of Representatives.
Persons, or employees, who knowingly help operate an illegal gambling house face a first-degree misdemeanor on the first offense and a third-degree felony on the second. Felonies would be further elevated for both owners and employees on subsequent convictions of running an illegal gambling house.
HB1467 would additionally increase the penalty against anyone found guilty of bribing an athlete to throw a game in their sports bet’s favor to a third-degree felony.
The legislation would also bar anyone who worked for the Florida Gaming Control Commission, including former commissioners, from being employed in the state’s regulated commercial and tribal gaming industries for two years. Such former Gaming Control Commission employees would also need to avoid investing in any gaming entity for that period.
Since its introduction, HB1467 has cleared the Budget Committee and its Industries & Professional Activities Subcommittee. It’s now with the Commerce Committee and where it was initially reviewed yesterday.
Illegal Gambling Focus of Bill
The Florida Gaming Control Commission and law enforcement throughout the state have been calling on the legislature to increase penalties for illegal gambling for several sessions. Police and gaming regulators say when law enforcement does infiltrate an unlicensed slots parlor, which are commonly billed as arcades and game rooms, though they house machines seemingly lifted off a Hard Rock casino floor, the misdemeanor penalties often aren’t enough to stop an individual from resuming the illicit business.
The Tampa Bay Times reported in 2023 that such illegal arcade owners can make a $20,000 to $60,000 per month profit. In its investigation, the news outlet visited nearly 30 gambling arcades where games were played for real money and cash payouts.
Estimates suggest there are more than 1,000 illegal slot machine storefronts in Florida. Without harsher penalties, the financial reward outweighs the legal recourse risk, proponents of HB1467 say.
Veterans Ask for Clarity
The Amusement Machine Association of Florida, which represents the many veterans associations that house slot-like skill games and arcade machines across the Sunshine State, testified in opposition to HB1467 during the Commerce Committee’s April 15 meeting.
“We want to be very clear: we support games that are legal in the State of Florida, but if you look at the statute [HB1467] right now, it has elements that say you can go to jail and prison for having legal games. It states that if you have a ‘prohibited or not prohibited game,’ you’re guilty of keeping a gambling house. That means these veterans can be charged for having an illegal gambling house,” said Amusement Machine Association of Florida spokesperson Jonathan Zachem.
Instead of fixing that language, we’re making this a felony. Even the people who work there can be charged,” Zachem added.
The Florida Gaming Control Commission says certain organizations, including charities, nonprofits, fraternal, and veterans’ groups, “may be permitted to offer certain types of gambling activities to their patrons provided certain requirements be met.”
The Florida House Commerce Committee did not vote on HB1467. Their next meeting has not yet been scheduled. The Florida General Assembly 2025 session runs through May 2.
The post Florida Gambling Bill Would Elevate Illegal Gaming Convictions to Felonies appeared first on Casino.org.
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