Florida’s House of Representatives is to consider a new bill that seeks to legalize online and retail sports wagering in the US state.
Introduced by Republican Representative Chip LaMarca, House Bill 1317 sets out proposals to allow Floridian consumers to wager on professional and collegiate sports.
Licenses would be made available to pari-mutuel facilities already approved by Florida’s Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, as well as existing tribal organization casino properties and professional sports venues.
The bill does not state how much these licenses would cost, nor how much tax licensees would be required to pay, but it does propose that sports betting licenses be renewed on annual basis.
The Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation would be responsible for awarding licenses.
Consumers would be able to place bets anywhere inside Florida via an approved mobile app.
Should HB 1317 progress forward and secure all of the necessary approvals, it is proposed that the bill would come into law from October 1 this year.