Two Florida legislators have introduced complementary bills that would strengthen the Seminole Tribe's monopoly over online gambling in the Sunshine State by officially banning unregulated 'Sweeps' casinos (including online poker) and other forms of online gambling.
On February 24, Florida State Rep. Walter Barnaby filed House Bill 953, and two days later, State Sen. Corey Simon introduced its companion measure, Senate Bill 1404.
The twin bills do not define sweeps-based casinos explicitly but instead strengthen the Seminole monopoly by refining existing definitions in state law governing Internet gambling. The language as introduced (below) would definitely bar sweeps-based casinos, even though the bills' primary focus is to further strengthen the existing ban in Florida against grey-market online sports-betting sites.
Any online simulation of casino-style gaming would be banned
With more awareness of the many ways consumers may access iGaming, the twin bills combine an enhanced framework with more sweeping language to enact the proposed ban. Online gambling would be redefined as follows:
“'Internet gambling' means to play or engage in any game in which money or other thing of value is awarded based on chance, regardless of any application of skill, that is available on the Internet and accessible on a mobile device, computer terminal, or other similar access device and simulates casino-style gaming, including, but not limited to, slot machines, video poker, and table games."
The measures also add the word "Internet" to the definition of illegal gambling as it applies to gamblers themselves, making it a misdemeanor for any Floridian to play on a banned online site.
One live-poker enhancement included in bills
Though SB 1404 and HB 953 are predominantly focused on online gambling, one inclusion in the bill focuses on poker play in Florida's live cardroom. That's an added section expanding the forms of cheating in the games, along with making such cheating a third-degree felony.
The code attempts to address the growing use of modern technology to cheat and reads as follows:
"A person who manipulates or attempts to manipulate the playing cards, outcome, or payoff of a card game in a licensed cardroom by physical tampering or by use of any object, instrument, or device, whether mechanical, electrical, magnetic, or involving other means, commits a felony of the third degree."
