Florida Lawmaker Refiles Bill to Decouple Thoroughbred Tracks’ Gambling From Live Racing
The refiling introduces a Gulfstream permit transfer provision that accompanies a wind‑down delaying any racing suspension until at least July 2027.
Overview
- Rep. Adam Anderson filed HB 881 for the 2026 session to let Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs operate gambling without holding live races.
- The bill allows tracks to notify regulators on or after July 1, 2027 of plans to stop races, with a three‑year period before racing could end.
- A new clause would make Gulfstream Park’s live‑racing permit transferable within 50 miles of the current track.
- Gulfstream backs the proposal as a way to protect jobs and sustain the industry, while horsemen, breeders, and the American Horse Council oppose it and cite a $3.24 billion impact and more than 33,000 jobs.
- The measure lacks a Senate companion and faces an uncertain path with Gov. Ron DeSantis signaling opposition after a similar 2025 effort advanced but stalled.