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The history of horse racing and betting in America goes way, way back — we’re talking the 1800s here. The century that followed was also the “golden era” where the sport was considered one of the country’s most popular, right up there with baseball.
Horse racing doesn’t have that type of popularity today outside Kentucky Derby betting. But make no mistake about it, the sport is still the backbone of many legal betting markets.
However, in Florida, the sport’s future is hanging in the balance. There’s a pair of new bills being peddled around that could drastically turn the sport’s future in the Sunshine State — some argue for the better, others say it would be disastrous. Keep reading and we’ll tell you exactly what’s going on with thoroughbred racing in Florida’s betting industry.
New Bill Gets Approval In The House
Florida’s House Commerce Committee just passed HB 105 (Thoroughbred Permitholders) after hours of back-and-forth debate. This bill would remove the requirement for Florida’s two remaining racetracks to hold races in order to offer other forms of gambling — like slot machines, card rooms, and casinos.
They are calling this a “decoupling” and would affect Gulfstream Park (located in Hallandale Beach) and Tampa Bay Downs (in Oldsmar). Gulfstream currently offers slots and electronic table games, whereas Downs has a 25-table poker room.
Currently, Florida law says a track must hold at least 40 events per year to maintain its state gambling license. This bill effectively eliminates this requirement. While such a move could provide relief to struggling tracks, it also threatens the broader horse industry, which relies on the racing mandate to survive — and that’s where the tension exists, which we’ll explain soon.
One more thing though: passing in the House doesn’t mean the bill is official though. No, no, no, it just means it can go to the Senate where they’ll debate and vote on the issue on their own accord. Interestingly enough, the Senate already had its own bill on the matter, however, it’s yet to be discussed in committees.
Florida Thoroughbred Racing Community Is Pushing Back
The House bill is not being met with acclaim and warmth among the state’s thoroughbred industry, which again, really depends on the current 40-events-per-year mandate. One major name after another is publicly taking a stand against it.
Lonny Powell is arguably the biggest name of all as the CEO of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association. Not one to mince words, he called HB 105 a direct attack on the industry:
“If this bill passes, it will ripple across the entire state economy, gutting a major industry and sending Florida jobs and horses to other states and our dollars to Toronto. This industry has helped power Florida’s economy for generations, and we must not allow bad special-interest policy to dismantle it.”
To ease concerns from the community, lawmakers fine-tuned the bill. Namely, if decoupling passes, racetracks must continue racing until 2030. If a track plans to shut down, it must give the state three years’ notice — but that notice can’t be submitted until July 1, 2027. So at the very least, it would not be an immediate blow.
Bill Sponsor Is Not Backing Down
Republican Representative Adam Anderson sponsored the bill, and consequently, has been the whipping boy of the horse community. Though, he’s not budging one bit. Matter of fact, he’s doubling down and arguing this legislation will be good for the industry because it’ll make tracks less dependent on gambling revenues. In the same token, he says the bill gives track owners more flexibility to transfer their licenses instead of being forced to shut down.
“It actually guarantees racing for the next five years. There hasn’t been any track that I have talked to that has said they intend to stop racing. This bill is structured in a way to support (the breeding industry), to help prop it up so it can stand independently from slots and cards and thrive on its own.”
Not everyone is buying it. Thoroughbred trainer Mark Casse has been another harsh critic, outright saying Anderson is trying to kill a $3.2 million industry.
“This bill would sacrifice Florida Thoroughbred racing,” Casse said. “Breeding, sales, training, mostly based in the rural heartland of the state to benefit one person. Florida-bred and raised horses are a valued export product across America and even overseas. Decoupling would devastate rural Florida.”
Several counties in Florida rely on the industry to stay afloat. Take Marion County, for instance. Per the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Marion has 35% of Florida’s horses and 46% of thoroughbreds. Not too shabby considering Florida ranks as the third largest equine state in the whole United States.
For now, both sides just have to wait on the Senate. It’s on those representatives to pass or kill this piece of legislation. For what it’s worth, most experts say Senate members are more supportive of racing and breeding than the House is, but we’ll just have to wait and see if that’s true. If passed, it goes to the desk of Governor Ron DeSantis who will have the final say on the matter. We’ll be monitoring the story so be sure to check back for updates.
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