Two bills were introduced in the Florida legislature this week that would expand the state’s ban on gambling to include “sweepstakes casinos,” internet casino gaming, and online sports betting outside its compact with the Seminole Tribe.
Rep. Walter Barnaby filed HB953 on Monday while Sen. Corey Simon filed his companion bill, S1404, in the upper chamber Wednesday. The language in the bills expands the ban to “internet gambling” and “internet sports wagering.” The bills as written leave room for interpretation; one is that the Seminole Tribe may be looking to expand into internet casino gaming via Hard Rock, and another is that the bill is an effective ban on sweepstakes casinos.
