The post Florida’s Proposed Ban On Sweepstakes Casinos Aligns With Status Under Existing Gambling Laws appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com.

(Photo illustration by Graeme Robertson/Getty Images) Getty Images In an early signal that online casino gambling may soon be legalized in Florida and placed under the exclusive control of the Seminole Tribe, the Florida Legislature has proposed a series of updates to Florida’s gambling laws that would effectively ban sweepstakes casinos and other online platforms that offer ‘casino-style’ gaming or sports wagering, while excluding those same activities when conducted pursuant to a tribal gaming compact. Over the course of four days in late February, five gaming bills – House Bills 953, 1017, and 1467, and Senate Bills 1404 and 1836 – were filed in advance of Florida’s 2025 legislative session. Some of the major changes include proposed bans on internet gambling and internet sports wagering when not conducted pursuant to a tribal gaming compact, as well as a broadening of the definition of “slot machine” to include games that do not need to be played with real money. Unlike proposals filed in other states, Florida’s bills do not target online sweepstakes casinos by name, but, rather through their broad wording. For example, the proposed definition of “Internet Gambling” includes any game that “simulates casino-style gaming, including, but not limited to, slot machines, video poker, and table games” – which captures the offerings of many sweepstakes casinos. Likewise, the addition of the words “or other thing of value” in the definitions of both “Internet Gambling” and “Internet Sports Wagering” would seem to encompass the ‘dual-currency’ system utilized by many sweepstakes casinos. Perpetual sweepstakes casinos likely violate Florida law The proposed revisions leave little room for doubt over whether sweepstakes casinos would constitute prohibited “internet gambling” if these measures are enacted into law in Florida. But even if these changes are ultimately not approved by the Legislature, that doesn’t mean that online…

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Filed under: News - @ April 16, 2025 4:19 am