High stakes gambling bill could legalize sports betting in Florida

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — State Senator Travis Hutson, from St. Augustine, proposed several high stakes bill that will be voted on next week.

The bills propose a partnership that Governor Ron DeSantis formed between the state and the Seminole Tribe of Florida.

It would legalize online sports betting across the state, but the tribe would serve as the hub. It would make Florida one of the largest states to make sports gambling legal.

Slots, card games, raffles, and drawings are already allowed across the state, but one of the bills would also add craps and roulette to the list of allowed at the tribe’s seven casinos.

State Senator Audrey Gibson said she’s watching out for pari-mutuels like Bestbet Jacksonville.

“I wanted to see a tax decrease for them and other pari-mutuel facilities. That didn’t happen.” She said there’s a lot to digest in the bills. It’s expected to rake in $2.5 billion over the next five years.

One of the bills would also allow the Seminole Tribe to build three more casinos, which would go up on its Hollywood reservation near Fort Lauderdale.

The Senate Committee will meet Monday at 2 p.m.

Cox Media Group