Fla. Stat. § 550.001
Short title
This chapter may be cited as the “Florida Pari-mutuel Wagering Act.”
Florida Statutes Chapter 550 — PARI-MUTUEL WAGERING
Florida · statute · Fla. Stat. ch. 550 · 74 active provisions
Fla. Stat. § 550.002
Definitions
As used in this chapter, the term:(1) “Breaks” means the portion of a pari-mutuel pool which is computed by rounding down to the nearest multiple of 10 cents and is not distributed to the contributors or withheld by the permitholder as takeout.(2) “Breeders’ and stallions’ awards” means financial incentives paid to enc…
Fla. Stat. § 550.0115
Permitholder operating license
After a permit has been issued by the commission, and after the permit has been approved by election, the commission shall issue to the permitholder an annual operating license to conduct pari-mutuel wagering at the location specified in the permit pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.
Fla. Stat. § 550.01215
License application; periods of operation; license fees; bond
(1) Each permitholder shall annually, during the period between January 15 and February 4, file in writing with the commission its application for an operating license for a pari-mutuel facility for the conduct of pari-mutuel wagering during the next state fiscal year, including intertrack and simulcast race wagering.…
Fla. Stat. § 550.0235
Limitation of civil liability
No permitholder licensed to conduct pari-mutuel wagering pursuant to the provisions of this chapter; no commissioner or employee of the commission; and no steward, judge, or other person appointed to act pursuant to this chapter shall be held liable to any person, partnership, association, corporation, or other busines…
Fla. Stat. § 550.0251
Powers and duties of the Florida Gaming Control Commission
The commission shall administer this chapter and regulate the pari-mutuel industry under this chapter and the rules adopted pursuant thereto, and:(1) The commission shall make an annual report to the Governor showing its own actions, receipts derived under the provisions of this chapter, the practical effects of the ap…
Fla. Stat. § 550.0351
Charity days
(1) The commission shall, upon the request of a permitholder, authorize each horseracing permitholder and jai alai permitholder up to five charity or scholarship days in addition to the regular days authorized by law.(2) The proceeds of charity performances shall be paid to qualified beneficiaries selected by the permi…
Fla. Stat. § 550.0425
Minors attendance at pari-mutuel performances; restrictions
(1) A minor, when accompanied by one or both parents or by her or his legal guardian, may attend pari-mutuel performances, under the conditions and at the times specified by each permitholder conducting the pari-mutuel performance.(2) A person under the age of 18 may not place a wager at any pari-mutuel performance.(3)…
Fla. Stat. § 550.054
Application for permit to conduct pari-mutuel wagering
(1) Any person who possesses the qualifications prescribed in this chapter may apply to the commission for a permit to conduct pari-mutuel operations under this chapter. Applications for a pari-mutuel permit are exempt from the 90-day licensing requirement of s. 120.60. Within 120 days after receipt of a complete appli…
Fla. Stat. § 550.0555
Greyhound dogracing permits; relocation within a county; conditions
(1) It is the finding of the Legislature that pari-mutuel wagering on greyhound dogracing provides substantial revenues to the state. It is the further finding that, in some cases, this revenue-producing ability is hindered due to the lack of provisions allowing the relocation of existing dogracing operations. It is th…
Fla. Stat. § 550.0651
Elections for ratification of permits; municipal prohibitions
(1) The holder of any permit may have submitted to the electors of the county designated therein the question whether or not such permit will be ratified or rejected. Such questions shall be submitted to the electors for approval or rejection at a special election to be called for that purpose only. The board of county…
Fla. Stat. § 550.0745
Summer jai alai permit periods of operation
A permitholder issued a permit under former subsection (1) of this section, Florida Statutes 2020, for the operation of a jai alai fronton during the summer season may conduct pari-mutuel wagering throughout the year.
Fla. Stat. § 550.0951
Payment of daily license fee and taxes; penalties
(1) DAILY LICENSE FEE.—(a) Each person engaged in the business of conducting race meetings or jai alai games under this chapter, hereinafter referred to as the “permitholder,” “licensee,” or “permittee,” shall pay to the commission, for the use of the commission, a daily license fee on each live or simulcast pari-mutue…
Fla. Stat. § 550.09511
Jai alai taxes; abandoned interest in a permit for nonpayment of taxes
(1)(a) Pari-mutuel wagering at jai alai frontons in this state is an important business enterprise, and taxes derived therefrom constitute a part of the tax structure which funds operations of the state. Jai alai permitholders should pay their fair share of these taxes to the state. As further prescribed in paragraph (…
Fla. Stat. § 550.09512
Harness horse taxes; abandoned interest in a permit for nonpayment of taxes
(1) Pari-mutuel wagering at harness horse racetracks in this state is an important business enterprise, and taxes derived therefrom constitute a part of the tax structure which funds operation of the state. Harness horse permitholders should pay their fair share of these taxes to the state. This business interest shoul…
Fla. Stat. § 550.09514
Greyhound dogracing taxes; purse requirements
(1) Wagering on greyhound racing is subject to a tax on handle for live greyhound racing as specified in s. 550.0951(3). However, each permitholder shall pay no tax on handle until such time as this subsection has resulted in a tax savings per state fiscal year of $360,000. Thereafter, each permitholder shall pay the t…
Fla. Stat. § 550.09515
Thoroughbred horse taxes; abandoned interest in a permit for nonpayment of taxes
(1) Pari-mutuel wagering at thoroughbred horse racetracks in this state is an important business enterprise, and taxes derived therefrom constitute a part of the tax structure which funds operation of the state. Thoroughbred horse permitholders should pay their fair share of these taxes to the state. This business inte…
Fla. Stat. § 550.09516
Credit for eligible permitholders conducting thoroughbred racing
(1) Beginning July 1, 2023, each permitholder authorized to conduct pari-mutuel wagering meets of thoroughbred racing under this chapter is eligible for a credit equal to the amount paid by the permitholder in the prior state fiscal year to the federal Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, inclusive of any applic…
Fla. Stat. § 550.105
Occupational licenses of racetrack employees; fees; denial, suspension, and revocation of license; penalties and fines
(1) Each person connected with a racetrack or jai alai fronton, as specified in paragraph (2)(a), shall purchase from the commission an occupational license. All moneys collected pursuant to this section each fiscal year shall be deposited into the Pari-mutuel Wagering Trust Fund. Pursuant to the rules adopted by the c…
Fla. Stat. § 550.1155
Authority of stewards, judges, panel of judges, or player’s manager to impose penalties against occupational licensees; disposition of funds collected
(1) The stewards at a horse racetrack or the judges, a panel of judges, or a player’s manager at a jai alai fronton may impose a civil penalty against any occupational licensee for violation of the pari-mutuel laws or any rule adopted by the commission. The penalty may not exceed $1,000 for each count or separate offen…
Fla. Stat. § 550.125
Uniform reporting system; bond requirement
(1) The Legislature finds that a uniform reporting system should be developed to provide acceptable uniform financial data and statistics.(2)(a) Each permitholder issued an operating license under this chapter shall keep records that clearly show the total amount of money contributed to pari-mutuel pools, cardroom gros…
Fla. Stat. § 550.135
Division of moneys derived under this law
All moneys that are deposited with the Chief Financial Officer to the credit of the Pari-mutuel Wagering Trust Fund shall be distributed as follows:(1) The daily license fee revenues collected pursuant to s. 550.0951(1) shall be used to fund the operating cost of the commission; however, other collections in the Pari-m…
Fla. Stat. § 550.155
Pari-mutuel pool within track enclosure; takeouts; breaks; penalty for purchasing part of a pari-mutuel pool for or through another in specified circumstances
(1) Wagering on the results of a horserace, dograce, or on the scores or points of a jai alai game and the sale of tickets or other evidences showing an interest in or a contribution to a pari-mutuel pool are allowed within the enclosure of any pari-mutuel facility licensed and conducted under this chapter but are not…
Fla. Stat. § 550.1625
Dogracing; taxes
(1) The operation of a dog track and legalized pari-mutuel betting at dog tracks in this state is a privilege and is an operation that requires strict supervision and regulation in the best interests of the state. Pari-mutuel wagering at dog tracks in this state is a substantial business, and taxes derived therefrom co…
Fla. Stat. § 550.1645
Escheat to state of abandoned interest in or contribution to pari-mutuel pools
(1) It is the public policy of the state, while protecting the interest of the owners, to possess all unclaimed and abandoned interest in or contribution to certain pari-mutuel pools conducted in this state under this chapter, for the benefit of all the people of the state; and this law shall be liberally construed to…
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