Florida HB 881: Pari-mutuel Wagering

Bill Text

CS/CS/HB 881 2026

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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to pari-mutuel wagering; amending s. 2
550.01215, F.S.; authorizing thoroughbred 3
permitholders to elect not to conduct live racing or 4
games; specifying that such permitholders retain 5
certain permits, eligibility, exemptions, and 6
licenses; providing that certain permitholders are 7
eligible to be a guest track; amending s. 550.09515, 8
F.S.; revising penalties for certain permitholders who 9
do not pay tax on handle for live races; removing 10
provisions requiring reissuance of escheated horse 11
permits; amending s. 550.5251, F.S.; conforming 12
provisions to changes made by the act; amending s. 13
551.104, F.S.; revising specified requirements for 14
thoroughbred permitholders who have certain slot 15
machine licenses; amending s. 849.086, F.S.; revising 16
requirements for certain permitholders who have 17
cardroom licenses; providing an effective date. 18
19
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 20
21
Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section 22
550.01215, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 23
550.01215 License application; periods of operation; 24
license fees; bond.— 25

CS/CS/HB 881 2026

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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

(1) Each permitholder shall annually, during the period 26
between January 15 and February 4, file in writing with the 27
commission its application for an operating license for a pari-28
mutuel facility for the conduct of pari-mutuel wagering during 29
the next state fiscal year, including intertrack and simulcast 30
race wagering. Each application for live performances must 31
specify the number, dates, and starting times of all live 32
performances that the permitholder intends to conduct. It must 33
also specify which performances will be conducted as charity or 34
scholarship performances. 35
(b)1. A greyhound permitholder may not conduct live 36
racing. A jai alai permitholder, thoroughbred permitholder, 37
harness horse racing permitholder, or quarter horse racing 38
permitholder may elect not to conduct live racing or games. A 39
thoroughbred permitholder must conduct live racing. A greyhound 40
permitholder, jai alai permitholder, thoroughbred permitholder, 41
harness horse racing permitholder, or quarter horse racing 42
permitholder that does not conduct live racing or games retains 43
its permit; is a pari-mutuel facility as defined in s. 44
550.002(23); if such permitholder has been issued a slot machine 45
license, the facility where such permit is located remains an 46
eligible facility as defined in s. 551.102(4), continues to be 47
eligible for a slot machine license pursuant to s. 551.104(3), 48
and is exempt from s. 551.114(2) ss. 551.104(4)(c) and (10) and 49
551.114(2); is eligible, but not required, to be a guest track 50

CS/CS/HB 881 2026

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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

and, if the permitholder is a harness horse racing permitholder, 51
to be a host track for purposes of intertrack wagering and 52
simulcasting pursuant to ss. 550.3551, 550.615, 550.625, and 53
550.6305; and remains eligible for a cardroom license. 54
2. A permitholder or licensee may not conduct live 55
greyhound racing or dogracing in connection with any wager for 56
money or any other thing of value in the state. The commission 57
may deny, suspend, or revoke any permit or license under this 58
chapter if a permitholder or licensee conducts live greyhound 59
racing or dogracing in violation of this subparagraph. In 60
addition to, or in lieu of, denial, suspension, or revocation of 61
such permit or license, the commission may impose a civil 62
penalty of up to $5,000 against the permitholder or licensee for 63
a violation of this subparagraph. All penalties imposed and 64
collected must be deposited with the Chief Financial Officer to 65
the credit of the General Revenue Fund. 66
Section 2. Subsection (3) of section 550.09515, Florida 67
Statutes, is amended to read: 68
550.09515 Thoroughbred horse taxes; abandoned interest in 69
a permit for nonpayment of taxes.— 70
(3)(a) The permit of a thoroughbred horse permitholder who 71
is conducting live thoroughbred horse performances and who does 72
not pay tax on handle for live thoroughbred horse performances 73
for a full schedule of live races during any 2 consecutive state 74
fiscal years shall be void and shall not be reissued escheat to 75

CS/CS/HB 881 2026

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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

and become the property of the state unle