Anti-sweepstakes legislation fails to pass in Florida
The Senate and House bills attempted to criminalize free-to-play digital entertainment and expand government control over consumer activity for certain promotions.
Key Points
- The SPGA released a statement in response to the decision, stating the win is “not just for the industry, but for every Floridian who values economic freedom and digital innovation”
- While Governor Ron DeSantis retains the authority to extend the session and revive legislation, the failure of both proposals effectively ends the legislative debate for 2025
Florida House Bill 1467 and Senate Bill 1404, which would have criminalized and expanded government control over sweepstakes gaming, have officially failed to pass through the state’s legislation.
The Social and Promotional Games Association (SPGA) released a statement in response to the decision, having said, “The defeat of these bills continues a clear national trend. In the past few weeks, similar bills have been rejected in Arkansas, Maryland and Mississippi.
“Lawmakers across the country are rejecting these anti-innovation, anti-business efforts that attempt to dictate what games American adults can play on their phones.”
While Governor Ron DeSantis retains the authority to extend the session and revive legislation, the SPGA stated there is clearly “no appetite” for such anti-sweepstakes proposals.
“This is a huge win, not just for the industry, but for every Floridian who values economic freedom and digital innovation,” the SPGA said.
Good to know: The SPGA also released a response to New York Senate Bill S5935 and an amendment which seeks to ban online sweepstakes promotions on May 2
“Once again, a state has seen through the scare tactics and rejected legislation that would have harmed consumers, businesses and Florida’s economy.”
According to the SPGA, the Florida legislation attempted to “criminalize free-to-play digital entertainment, recklessly expand government control over lawful consumer activity and needlessly restrict business and innovation.”
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