Bingo Games

HB 609 2026

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A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to bingo games; amending s. 849.0931, 2
F.S.; revising definitions; defining the term "instant 3
bingo ticket dispenser"; revising the requirements to 4
manufacture, issue, and operate instant bingo tickets; 5
requiring that instant bingo ticket dispensers have 6
certain features; prohibiting instant bingo ticket 7
dispensers from having certain features; providing 8
construction; reenacting ss. 402.82(4)(e), 718.114, 9
723.079(10), 849.09(3), 849.094(1)(a), and 849.142(6), 10
F.S., relating to electronic benefits transfer 11
program, association powers, powers and duties of 12
mobile home owners' associations; lottery prohibitions 13
and exceptions, game promotion in connection with the 14
sale of consumer products or services, and exempted 15
activities, respectively, to incorporate the amendment 16
made to s. 849.0931, F.S., in references thereto; 17
providing an effective date. 18
19
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 20
21
Section 1. Present paragraphs (g) through (j) of 22
subsection (1), paragraphs (g) and (h) of subsection (13), and 23
subsection (14) of section 849.0931, Florida Statutes, are 24
redesignated as paragraphs (h) through (k) of subsection (1), 25

HB 609 2026

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paragraphs (j) and (k) of subsection (13), and subsection (15), 26
respectively, a new paragraph (g) is added to subsection (1) of 27
that section, new paragraphs (g) and (h) and paragraph (i) are 28
added to subsection (13) of that section, a new subsection (14) 29
is added to that section, and paragraphs (a), (d), (e), and (f) 30
of subsection (1) and paragraphs (b) and (f) of subsection (13) 31
of that section are amended, to read: 32
849.0931 Bingo authorized; conditions for conduct; 33
permitted uses of proceeds; limitations.— 34
(1) As used in this section: 35
(a) "Bingo game" means and refers to the activity, 36
commonly known as "bingo," in which participants pay a sum of 37
money for the use of one or more bingo cards. When the game 38
commences, numbers are drawn by chance, one by one, and 39
announced. The players cover or mark those numbers on the bingo 40
cards which they have purchased until a player receives a given 41
order of numbers in sequence that has been preannounced for that 42
particular game. This player calls out "bingo" and is declared 43
the winner of a predetermined prize. More than one game may be 44
played upon a bingo card, and numbers called for one game may be 45
used for a succeeding game or games. 46
(d) "Deal" means a separate set or package of not more 47
than 4,000 instant bingo tickets in which the predetermined 48
minimum prize payout is at least 65 percent of the total 49
receipts from the sale of the entire deal. 50

HB 609 2026

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(e) "Flare" means the board, or placard, or digital 51
display that accompanies each deal of instant bingo tickets and 52
that displays has printed on or affixed to it the following 53
information: 54
1. The game name. 55
2. The manufacturer's name or distinctive logo. 56
3. The form number. 57
4. The ticket count. 58
5. The prize structure, including the number of symbols or 59
number combinations for winning instant bingo tickets by 60
denomination, with their respective winning symbols or number 61
combinations. 62
6. The cost per play. 63
7. The game serial number. 64
(f) "Instant bingo" means a form of bingo that is played 65
at the same location as bingo, using tickets that are sold by 66
the bingo operator or through an instant bingo ticket dispenser 67
by which a player wins a prize by opening and removing a cover 68
from the ticket to reveal a set of numbers, letters, objects, or 69
patterns, some of which have been designated in advance as prize 70
winners. 71
(g) "Instant bingo ticket dispenser" means a device that 72
dispenses an instant bingo ticket or reads a barcode printed on 73
the exterior of the instant bingo ticket as the ticket is 74
dispensed and displays the win or loss status of the instant 75

HB 609 2026

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bingo ticket on a video display contained on the device. 76
(13) 77
(b) Each deal of instant bingo tickets must be accompanied 78
by a flare, and the flare must be visible to the player posted 79
before the sale of any tickets in that deal. 80
(f) Except as provided under paragraph (e), an instant 81
bingo ticket manufactured, sold, or distributed in this state 82
must: 83
1. Be manufactured so that it is not possible to identify 84
whether it is a winning or losing instant bingo ticket until it 85
has been opened by the player as intended or the results are 86
displayed on an instant bingo dispenser that reveals the win or 87
loss status of the ticket as it is dispensed. 88
2. Be manufactured using at least a two-ply paper stock 89
construction so that the instant bingo ticket is opaque. 90
3. Have the form number, the deal's serial number, and the 91
name or logo of the manufacturer conspicuously printed on the 92
face or cover of the instant bingo ticket. 93
4. Have a form of winner protection that allows the 94
organization to verify, after the instant bingo ticket has been 95
played, that the winning instant bingo ticket presented for 96
payment is an authentic winning instant bingo ticket for the 97
deal in play. The manufacturer shall provide a written 98
description of the winner protection with each deal of instant 99
bingo tickets. 100

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(g) An instant bingo ticket dispenser must have the 101
following features: 102
1. A bill acceptor that accepts only United States 103
currency and accounts for all currency inserted into the 104
dispenser. 105
2. The ability to track the sale of all instant bingo 106
tickets dispensed. 107
(h) An instant bingo ticket dispenser that reads a bar 108
code and displays the ticket outcome on a video display on the 109
device must have the additional capability of: 110
1. Producing a voucher for prize verification and 111
redemption or proof of purchase; and 112
2. Producing reports showing gross sales, prizes paid, and 113
net receipts to the charitable, nonprofit, or veterans' 114
organization. 115
(i) An instant bingo ticket dispenser may not: 116
1. Display the outcome of an instant bingo ticket using 117
spinning reels or other features that mimic a slot machine or 118
any common casino table game; 119
2. Contain a random number generator or any software that 120
influences the outcome of the instant bingo game; or 121
3. Contain any feature that simulates skill or allows 122
player input to influence the outcome of the predetermined 123
instant bingo game result. 124
(14) This section may not be construed to authorize a 125

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charitable, nonprofit, or veterans' organization to engage in 126
class III gaming as that term is defined in 25 U.S.C. s. 2703 127
(8). 128
Section 2. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment 129
made by this act to section 849.0931, Florida Statutes, in a 130
reference thereto, paragraph (e) of subsection (4) of section 131
402.82, Florida Statutes, is reenacted to read: 132
402.82 Electronic benefits transfer program.— 133
(4) Use or acceptance of an electronic benefits transfer 134
card is prohibited at the following locations or for the 135
following activities: 136
(e) A commercial bingo facility that operates outside the 137
provisions of s. 849.0931. 138
Section 3. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment 139
made by this act to section 849.0931, Florida Statutes, in a 140
reference thereto, section 718.114, Florida Statutes, is 141
reenacted to read: 142
718.114 Association powers.—An association may enter into 143
agreements to acquire leaseholds, memberships, and other 144
possessory or use interests in lands or facilities such as 145
country clubs, golf courses, marinas, and other recreational 146
facilities, regardless of whether the lands or facilities are 147
contiguous to the lands of the condominium, if such lands and 148
facilities are intended to provide enjoyment, recreation, or 149
other use or benefit to the unit owners. All of these 150

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leaseholds, memberships, and other possessory or use interests 151
existing or created at the time of recording the declaration 152
must be stated and fully described in the declaration. 153
Subsequent to the recording of the declaration, agreements 154
acquiring these leaseholds, memberships, or other possessory or 155
use interests which are not entered into within 12 months of the 156
date of the recording of the certificate of a surveyor and 157
mapper pursuant to s. 718.104(4)(e) or the recording of an 158
instrument that transfers title to a unit in the condominium 159
which is not accompanied by a recorded assignment of developer 160
rights in favor of the grantee of such unit, whichever occurs 161
first, are a material alteration or substantial addition to the 162
real property that is association property, and the association 163
may not acquire or enter into such agreements except upon a vote 164
of, or written consent by, a majority of the total voting 165
interests or as authorized by the declaration as provided in s. 166
718.113. The declaration may provide that the rental, membership 167
fees, operations, replacements, and other expenses are common 168
expenses and may impose covenants and restrictions concerning 169
their use and may contain other provisions not inconsistent with 170
this chapter. A condominium association may conduct bingo games 171
as provided in s. 849.0931. 172
Section 4. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment 173
made by this act to section 849.0931, Florida Statutes, in a 174
reference thereto, subsection (10) of section 723.079, Florida 175

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Statutes, is reenacted to read: 176
723.079 Powers and duties of homeowners' association.— 177
(10) Any mobile home owners' association or group of 178
residents of a mobile home park as defined in this chapter may 179
conduct bingo games as provided in s. 849.0931. 180
Section 5. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment 181
made by this act to section 849.0931, Florida Statutes, in a 182
reference thereto, subsection (3) of section 849.09, Florida 183
Statutes, is reenacted to read: 184
849.09 Lottery prohibited; exceptions.— 185
(3) Any person who is convicted of violating any of the 186
provisions of paragraph (e), paragraph (f), paragraph (g), 187
paragraph (i), or paragraph (k) of subsection (1) is guilty of a 188
misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 189
775.082 or s. 775.083. Any person who, having been convicted of 190
violating any provision thereof, thereafter violates any 191
provision thereof is guilty of a felony of the third degree, 192
punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. 193
The provisions of this section do not apply to bingo as provided 194
for in s. 849.0931. 195
Section 6. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment 196
made by this act to section 849.0931, Florida Statutes, in a 197
reference thereto, paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section 198
849.094, Florida Statutes, is reenacted to read: 199
849.094 Game promotion in connection with sale of consumer 200

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products or services.— 201
(1) As used in this section, the term: 202
(a) "Game promotion" means, but is not limited to, a 203
contest, game of chance, sweepstakes, or gift enterprise, 204
conducted by an operator within or throughout the state and 205
other states in connection with and incidental to the sale of 206
consumer products or services, and in which the elements of 207
chance and prize are present. However, "game promotion" may not 208
be construed to apply to bingo games conducted pursuant to s. 209
849.0931. 210
Section 7. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment 211
made by this act to section 849.0931, Florida Statutes, in a 212
reference thereto, subsection (6) of section 849.142, Florida 213
Statutes, is reenacted to read: 214
849.142 Exempted activities.—Sections 849.01, 849.08, 215
849.09, 849.11, 849.14, and 849.25 do not apply to participation 216
in or the conduct of any of the following activities: 217
(6) Bingo games conducted pursuant to s. 849.0931. 218
Section 8. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 219