Amid heavy opposition from the horse-breeding industry, a Florida House panel Wednesday backed a proposal to eliminate a requirement that the state’s two remaining thoroughbred tracks hold races to be able to offer other types of gambling.
The proposal (HB 881), approved by the House Industries & Professional Activities Subcommittee, involves what is known in the gambling industry as “decoupling.”
Under current law, the two thoroughbred tracks, Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs, must hold live races to be able to operate cardrooms and, in the case of Gulfstream, slot machines. Under decoupling, the tracks wouldn’t have to hold races but could continue offering the other lucrative types of gambling — similar to changes made in recent years involving former greyhound and harness-racing tracks.
