Florida bill to deter rogue gambling operators advances in the Senate

Article by : Charles Perrin Mar 1, 2024

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A bill to clamp down on illegal gambling and impose harsher financial penalties on rogue operators has passed the Florida Senate.

Yesterday, the legislature’s upper chamber approved Senate Bill 1046 which would increase the penalties levied on operators for running unlicensed slot machines on their premises.

SB 1046, which was introduced by Sen. John Martin (R-Lee), picked up 31 votes in the 40-person Senate, and it will now move onto the House of Representatives for further consideration.

The underlying objective of SB 1046 is to provide a greater deterrence for those who fall foul of the law, raising the crime from a second-degree misdemeanor to a third-degree felony.

In the Sunshine State, a third-degree felony is punishable by a maximum $5,000 fine and a five-year prison sentence.

However, before SB 1046 reached the Senate floor, Martin was forced to make amendments by toning down the language of the statute as it was originally perceived as being too severe.

Martin and the Senate concurred that having a felony charge upon arrest without notice would have an adverse impact.

To remedy the situation, Martin, as directed by the House, suggested a cease-and-desist letter should be issued first to a gambling venue before taking further action.

Discussing the prospective bill, Martin said: “If you end up arresting someone for a felony, [they] can say afterward they didn’t know. But on so many documents these days, you have to disclose even if you are arrested for a felony.

“The goal is not to throw people in prison who are not knowingly committing crimes.”

Rather than focus their attention on amusement games where players can redeem tickets or tokens for prizes, SB 1046 is trying to crack down on 777-style arcades.

While the problem has been widespread, SB 1046 could be a game-changer and help law enforcement get a grip on the issue once and for all.