Florida senate committee passes fantasy sports bill

The Florida Senate Regulated Industries Committee has progressed SB 374, a bill introduced by Sen. Dana Young which  seeks to establish that fantasy sports is a legal activity in the state of Florida and not gambling, and is therefore not subject to state gambling regulations.

Committee members voted 8 vs.1 in favour of advancing the bill despite opposition from the Seminole Tribe, which expressed concerns about whether the proposal could violate a gambling agreement between the tribe and the state.

Addressing the committee, Sen. Young said: “We’ve got 3 million Floridians that love playing these games, and they are looking to us to let them know that they are not engaging in some sort of criminal activity.”

Rep. Jason Brodeur has filed a similar bill (HB 223) in the House, though it has not yet been heard in committee. The bills are filed for the 2018 legislative session, which starts January 9.

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