Prop Betting May Soon Be Legal In Florida

The State of Florida has been in the midst of discussions  regarding sports betting legalization since late 2018. But if reports are to be believed, the Florida Senate may be a step closer to legalizing sports betting in the state.

In the recent 60-day legislative session, Florida senators discussed the possibility of legalizing one form of sports betting – prop betting. Proposition (prop) betting is a type of betting which involves placing a bet on the occurrence or non-occurrence of an event/activity during a game; but it can only be an event/activity which doesn’t affect the final outcome of the game. With in-play betting still being vehemently opposed by the Florida Senate, industry insiders believe that successful legalization of sports betting may start with prop betting.

The decision to actively consider prop betting legalization has come from Bradenton Republican Senate President Bill Galvano, who has announced that sports betting will be one of his top priorities for 2019. In a statement to local news groups, he said, “Are these things on the table? The answer is yes. Are we looking at all of them? The answer is yes. Have we gotten to a point where we’ve decided what goes into that bill? The answer is no.” But he isn’t the only one who’s pro-prop-betting in Florida. Support for prop betting is also coming from lobbyist Brian Ballard, who represents the NBA, DraftKings, PGA Tour and FanDuel, who has also confirmed the interest his clients have shown in sports betting legalization in Florida.

Currently, prop betting has generated massive revenues for other states in America, leading Senate President Galvano to be hopeful about its impact in Florida. Given how it doesn’t have any bearing on the outcome of the game, he also believes that prop betting may discourage foul play; one of the primary reasons why the prospect of sports betting legalization has received massive push-back from Florida residents and authorities.

The discussions that are being spearheaded by Senate President Galvano and other pro-betting senators in the Senate also include talks about geo-fenced app-based in-game wagering. Other items on the agenda include legalization of dog race, horse race & jai alai betting and the possible renewal of the exclusivity agreement between the Seminole Tribe of Florida and Florida State. The $350 million annual payment by the Tribe to the state is also under discussion.