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Florida Senate
-
2026
SB 1282
By
Senator Martin
33-00566-26 20261282__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to bingo games; amending s. 849.0931,
3 F.S.; revising definitions; defining the term “instant
4 bingo ticket dispenser”; revising the requirements to
5 manufacture, issue, and operate instant bingo tickets;
6 requiring that instant bingo ticket dispensers have
7 certain features; prohibiting instant bingo ticket
8 dispensers from having certain features; providing
9 construction; reenacting ss. 402.82(4)(e), 718.114,
10 723.079(10), 849.09(3), 849.094(1)(a), and 849.142(6),
11 F.S., relating to electronic benefits transfer
12 program, association powers, powers and duties of
13 mobile home owners’ associations, lottery prohibitions
14 and exceptions, game promotion in connection with the
15 sale of consumer products or services, and exempted
16 activities, respectively, to incorporate the amendment
17 made to s. 849.0931, F.S., in references thereto;
18 providing an effective date.
19
20 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
21
22 Section 1. Present paragraphs (g) through (j) of subsection
23 (1), paragraphs (g) and (h) of subsection (13), and subsection
24 (14) of section 849.0931, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as
25 paragraphs (h) through (k) of subsection (1), paragraphs (j) and
26 (k) of subsection (13), and subsection (15), respectively, a new
27 paragraph (g) is added to subsection (1) of that section, new
28 paragraphs (g) and (h) and paragraph (i) are added to subsection
29 (13) of that section, a new subsection (14) is added to that
30 section, and paragraphs (a), (d), (e), and (f) of subsection (1)
31 and paragraphs (b) and (f) of subsection (13) of that section
32 are amended, to read:
33 849.0931 Bingo authorized; conditions for conduct;
34 permitted uses of proceeds; limitations.—
35 (1) As used in this section:
36 (a) “Bingo game” means and refers to the activity, commonly
37 known as “bingo,” in which participants pay a sum of money for
38
the use of
one or more bingo cards. When the game commences,
39 numbers are drawn by chance, one by one, and announced. The
40 players cover or mark those numbers on the bingo cards which
41 they have purchased until a player receives a given order of
42 numbers in sequence that has been preannounced for that
43 particular game. This player calls out “bingo” and is declared
44 the winner of a predetermined prize. More than one game may be
45 played upon a bingo card, and numbers called for one game may be
46 used for a succeeding game or games.
47 (d) “Deal” means a separate set or package of
not more than
48
4,000
instant bingo tickets in which the predetermined minimum
49 prize payout is at least 65 percent of the total receipts from
50 the sale of the entire deal.
51 (e) “Flare” means the board
,
or placard
, or digital display
52 that accompanies each deal of instant bingo tickets and that
53
displays
has printed on or affixed to it
the following
54 information:
55 1. The game name.
56 2. The manufacturer’s name or distinctive logo.
57 3. The form number.
58 4. The ticket count.
59 5. The prize structure, including the number of symbols or
60 number combinations for winning instant bingo tickets by
61 denomination, with their respective winning symbols or number
62 combinations.
63 6. The cost per play.
64 7. The game serial number.
65 (f) “Instant bingo” means a form of bingo that is played at
66 the same location as bingo, using tickets
that are sold by the
67
bingo operator or through an instant bingo ticket dispenser
by
68 which a player wins a prize by opening and removing a cover from
69 the ticket to reveal a set of numbers, letters, objects, or
70 patterns, some of which have been designated in advance as prize
71 winners.
72
(g) “Instant bingo ticket dispenser” means a device that
73
dispenses an instant bingo ticket or reads a barcode printed on
74
the exterior of the instant bingo ticket as the ticket is
75
dispensed and displays the win or loss status of the instant
76
bingo ticket on a video display contained on the device.
77 (13)
78 (b) Each deal of instant bingo tickets must be accompanied
79 by a flare, and the flare must be
visible to the player
posted
80 before the sale of any tickets in that deal.
81 (f) Except as provided under paragraph (e), an instant
82 bingo ticket manufactured, sold, or distributed in this state
83 must:
84 1. Be manufactured so that it is not possible to identify
85 whether it is a winning or losing instant bingo ticket until it
86 has been opened by the player as intended
or the results are
87
displayed on an instant bingo dispenser that reveals the win or
88
loss status of the ticket as it is dispensed
.
89 2. Be manufactured using at least a two-ply paper stock
90 construction so that the instant bingo ticket is opaque.
91 3. Have the form number, the deal’s serial number, and the
92 name or logo of the manufacturer conspicuously printed on the
93 face or cover of the instant bingo ticket.
94 4. Have a form of winner protection that allows the
95 organization to verify, after the instant bingo ticket has been
96 played, that the winning instant bingo ticket presented for
97 payment is an authentic winning instant bingo ticket for the
98 deal in play. The manufacturer shall provide a written
99 description of the winner protection with each deal of instant
100 bingo tickets.
101
(g)
An instant bingo ticket dispenser must have the
102
following features:
103
1.
A bill acceptor that accepts only United States
c
urrency
104
and accounts for all currency inserted into the 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 code
108
and displays the ticket outcome on a video display on the device
109
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) Th
i
s section may not be construed to authorize a
125
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 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 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 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.