Thoroughbred Permitholders

Florida Senate
-
2026

SB 1564

By
Senator DiCeglie

18-00404A-26 20261564__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to thoroughbred permitholders;
3 amending s. 550.01215, F.S.; providing that a
4 thoroughbred permitholder may elect not to, rather
5 than be required to, conduct live racing or games;
6 providing that a thoroughbred permitholder that does
7 not conduct live racing or games retains its permit,
8 remains a pari-mutuel facility, remains an eligible
9 facility if issued a slot machine license, and is
10 eligible to be a guest track and a host track;
11 providing that a greyhound permitholder, jai alai
12 permitholder, harness horse racing permitholder,
13 quarter horse racing permitholder, and thoroughbred
14 permitholder are exempt from certain licensing and
15 application fees for operating a cardroom; requiring a
16 thoroughbred permitholder that operates a slot machine
17 facility or cardroom to offer a full schedule of live
18 racing until the permitholder notifies the Florida
19 Gaming Control Commission that it will no longer offer
20 live racing; providing that such notice is not valid
21 unless delivered to the commission on or after a
22 specified date; specifying requirements for such
23 notice; providing that a permitholder is not required
24 to deliver such notice if authorized by the commission
25 to relocate; amending s. 550.054, F.S.; authorizing,
26 rather than prohibiting, the transfer or reissuance of
27 a thoroughbred horse racing permit or license under
28 certain circumstances; deleting exceptions in which a
29 thoroughbred horse racing licensee may change the
30 location of the licensee’s thoroughbred horse
31 racetrack; amending s. 550.09515, F.S.; providing that
32 the permit of a thoroughbred permitholder who conducts
33 live performances and does not pay taxes for a certain
34 time is void; reenacting and amending s. 550.3345,
35 F.S.; providing that certain members of a certain not
36 for-profit corporation be designated by the
37 commission, rather than the Florida Thoroughbred
38 Breeders’ Association; providing that the not-for
39 profit corporation may move the location of a permit
40 to another location in a different county which has
41 been previously authorized for pari-mutuel wagering;
42 amending s. 550.475, F.S.; providing that holders of
43 pari-mutuel permits for pari-mutuel wagering may lease
44 any of the facilities of a thoroughbred training
45 facility holding a valid license; revising the
46 geographic area within which a pari-mutuel
47 permitholder may lease its facilities to certain
48 persons and permitholders; prohibiting a thoroughbred
49 permitholder relocation from operating a cardroom at a
50 leased training facility; providing that a lessor of a
51 pari-mutuel facility that has been issued a slot
52 machine license or a cardroom license is an eligible
53 facility; amending s. 550.5251, F.S.; requiring that
54 thoroughbred permitholders required to offer live
55 racing, rather than all thoroughbred permitholders,
56 must annually file with the commission an application
57 to conduct one or more thoroughbred racing meetings
58 during the thoroughbred racing season; reenacting s.
59 550.615(2) and (8), F.S., relating to intertrack
60 wagering, to incorporate the amendments made to ss.
61 550.01215 and 550.475, F.S., in references thereto;
62 providing an effective date.
63
64 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
65
66 Section 1. Paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (1) of
67 section 550.01215, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
68 550.01215 License application; periods of operation;
69 license fees; bond.—
70 (1) Each permitholder shall annually, during the period
71 between January 15 and February 4, file in writing with the
72 commission its application for an operating license for a pari
73 mutuel facility for the conduct of pari-mutuel wagering during
74 the next state fiscal year, including intertrack and simulcast
75 race wagering. Each application for live performances must
76 specify the number, dates, and starting times of all live
77 performances that the permitholder intends to conduct. It must
78 also specify which performances will be conducted as charity or
79 scholarship performances.
80 (a) Each application for an operating license also must
81 include:
82 1. For each permitholder, whether the permitholder intends
83 to accept wagers on intertrack or simulcast events.
84 2. For each permitholder that elects to operate a cardroom,
85 the dates and periods of operation the permitholder intends to
86 operate the cardroom.
87 3. For each thoroughbred
racing
permitholder that elects to
88 receive or rebroadcast out-of-state races, the dates for all
89 performances that the permitholder intends to conduct.
90 (b)1. A greyhound permitholder may not conduct live racing.
91 A jai alai permitholder, harness horse racing permitholder,
92
thoroughbred permitholder,
or quarter horse racing permitholder
93 may elect not to conduct live racing or games.
A thoroughbred

94
permitholder must conduct live racing
.
A greyhound permitholder,
95 jai alai permitholder, harness horse racing permitholder,
or

96 quarter horse racing permitholder
, or thoroughbred permitholder

97 that does not conduct live racing or games retains its permit;
98 is a pari-mutuel facility as defined in s. 550.002(23); if such
99 permitholder has been issued a slot machine license, the
100 facility where such permit is located remains an eligible
101 facility as defined in s. 551.102(4), continues to be eligible
102 for a slot machine license pursuant to s. 551.104(3), and is
103 exempt from ss. 551.104(4)(c) and (10) and 551.114(2); is
104 eligible, but not required, to be a guest track and, if the
105 permitholder is a harness horse racing permitholder, to be a
106 host track for purposes of intertrack wagering and simulcasting
107 pursuant to ss. 550.3551, 550.615, 550.625, and 550.6305; and
108 remains eligible for a cardroom license
, and is exempt
from
s.

109
849.086(5)
(c) and (13)(d)2
. A thoroughbred permitholder
that

110
operates a slot machine facility or cardroom
must
offer a full

111
schedule of live racing until such permitholder notifies the

112
commission that it will no longer offer live racing. Notice

113
under this
paragraph

is not
valid unless delivered
to the

114
commission
on or

after July 1, 2027
. Such notice must
contain

115
the date on which the permitholder will no longer offer live

116
racing
,
which
may be no
earlier than a date 3 years after the

117
date of the notice. A permitholder
is
not required to deliver

118
such notice when relocating pursuant to s. 550.3345
(2)(d)
or s.

119
550.475 with authorization by the commission in accordance with

120
s. 550.054
.
121 2. A permitholder or licensee may not conduct live
122 greyhound racing or dogracing in connection with any wager for
123 money or any other thing of value in the state. The commission
124 may deny, suspend, or revoke any permit or license under this
125 chapter if a permitholder or licensee conducts live greyhound
126 racing or dogracing in violation of this subparagraph. In
127 addition to, or in lieu of, denial, suspension, or revocation of
128 such permit or license, the commission may impose a civil
129 penalty of up to $5,000 against the permitholder or licensee for
130 a violation of this subparagraph. All penalties imposed and
131 collected must be deposited with the Chief Financial Officer to
132 the credit of the General Revenue Fund.
133 Section 2. Subsection (13) and paragraph (b) of subsection
134 (14) of section 550.054, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
135 550.054 Application for permit to conduct pari-mutuel
136 wagering.—
137 (13)
(a)
Notwithstanding
any
provisions of this chapter
to

138
the contrary
,
a

no
thoroughbred horse racing permit or license
139 issued under this chapter
may

shall
be transferred
,
or reissued
140 when such reissuance is in the nature of a transfer so as to
141 permit or authorize a licensee to change the location of a
142 thoroughbred horse racetrack
except
upon
authorization by

proof

143
in such form as
the commission
may prescribe that a referendum

144
election has been held:

145
1. If the proposed new location is within the same county

146
as the already licensed location, in the county where the

147
licensee desires to conduct the race meeting and that a majority

148
of the electors voting on that question in such election voted

149
in favor of the transfer of such license
.
150
2. If the proposed new location is not within the same

151
county as the already licensed location, in the county where the

152
licensee desires to conduct the race meeting and in the county

153
where the licensee is already licensed to conduct the race

154
meeting and that a majority of the electors voting on that

155
question in each such election voted in favor of the transfer of

156
such license.

157
(b) Each referendum held under the provisions of this

158
subsection shall be held in accordance with the electoral

159
procedures for ratification of permits, as provided in s.

160
550.0651. The expense of each such referendum shall be borne by

161
the licensee requesting the transfer.

162 (14)
163 (b) The commission, upon application from the holder of a
164 jai alai permit meeting all conditions of this section, shall
165 convert the permit and shall issue to the permitholder a permit
166 to conduct greyhound racing. A permitholder of a permit
167 converted under this section
is

shall be
required to apply for
168 and conduct a full schedule of live racing each fiscal year to
169 be eligible for any tax credit provided by this chapter. The
170 holder of a permit converted pursuant to this subsection or any
171 holder of a permit to conduct greyhound racing located in a
172 county in which it is the only permit issued pursuant to this
173 section who operates at a leased facility pursuant to s. 550.475
174 may move the location for which the permit has been issued to
175 another location within a 30-mile radius of the location fixed
176 in the permit issued in that county, provided the move does not
177 cross the county boundary and such location is approved under
178 the zoning regulations of the county or municipality in which
179 the permit is located, and upon such relocation may use the
180 permit for the conduct of pari-mutuel wagering and the operation
181 of a cardroom. The provisions of s. 550.6305(9)(d) and (f)
shall

182 apply to any permit converted under this subsection and
shall

183 continue to apply to any permit which was previously included
184 under and subject to such provisions before a conversion
185 pursuant to this section occurred.
186 Section 3. Paragraph (a) of subsection (3) of section
187 550.09515, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
188 550.09515 Thoroughbred horse taxes; abandoned interest in a
189 permit for nonpayment of taxes.—
190 (3)(a) The permit of a thoroughbred
horse
permitholder who
191
conducts live thoroughbred performances and
does not pay tax on
192 handle for live thoroughbred
horse
performances for a full
193 schedule of live races during any 2 consecutive state fiscal
194 years
is

shall be
void and
must

shall
escheat to and become the
195 property of the state unless such failure to operate and pay tax
196 on handle was the direct result of fire, strike, war, or other
197 disaster or event beyond the ability of the permitholder to
198 control. Financial hardship to the permitholder
does

shall
not,
199 in and of itself, constitute just cause for failure to operate
200 and pay tax on handle.
201 Section 4. Subsection (2) of section 550.3345, Florida
202 Statutes, is amended, and subsection (3) of that section is
203 reenacted, to read:
204 550.3345 Conversion of quarter horse permit to a limited
205 thoroughbred permit.—
206 (2) Notwithstanding any other
provision of
law, the holder
207 of a quarter horse racing permit issued under s. 550.334 may,
208 within 1 year after the effective date of this section, apply to
209 the commission for a transfer of the quarter horse racing permit
210 to a not-for-profit corporation formed under state law to serve
211 the purposes of the state as provided in subsection (1). The
212 board of directors of the not-for-profit corporation
shall

213
consist

must
be comprised
of 11 members, 4 of whom shall be
214 designated by the applicant, 4 of whom shall be designated by
215 the
commission

Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association
, and 3
216 of whom shall be designated by the other 8 directors, with at
217 least 1 of these 3 members being an authorized representative of
218 another thoroughbred permitholder in this state. The not-for
219 profit corporation shall submit an application to the commission
220 for review and approval of the transfer in accordance with s.
221 550.054. Upon approval of the transfer by the commission, and
222 notwithstanding any other
provision of
law to the contrary, the
223 not-for-profit corporation may, within 1 year after its receipt
224 of the permit, request that the commission convert the quarter
225 horse racing permit to a permit authorizing the holder to
226 conduct pari-mutuel wagering meets of thoroughbred racing.
227
Neither
The transfer of the quarter horse racing permit
or

nor

228 its conversion to a limited thoroughbred permit
may not

shall
be
229 subject to the mileage limitation or the ratification election
230 as set forth under s. 550.054(2) or s. 550.0651. Upon receipt of
231 the request for such conversion, the commission shall timely
232 issue a converted permit. The converted permit and the not-for
233 profit corporation
is

shall be
subject to the following
234 requirements:
235 (a) All net revenues derived by the not-for-profit
236 corporation under the thoroughbred horse racing permit and any
237 license issued to the not-for-profit corporation under chapter
238 849, after the funding of operating expenses and capital
239 improvements,
must

shall
be dedicated to the enhancement of
240 thoroughbred purses and breeders’, stallion, and special racing
241 awards under this chapter; the general promotion of the
242 thoroughbred horse breeding industry; and the care in this state
243 of thoroughbred horses retired from racing.
244 (b) From December 1 through April 30,
no
live thoroughbred
245 racing may
not
be conducted under the permit on any day during
246 which another thoroughbred permitholder is conducting live
247 thoroughbred racing within 125 air miles of the not-for-profit
248 corporation’s pari-mutuel facility unless the other thoroughbred
249 permitholder gives its written consent.
250 (c) After the conversion of the quarter horse racing permit
251 and the issuance of its initial license to conduct pari-mutuel
252 wagering meets of thoroughbred racing, the not-for-profit
253 corporation shall annually apply to the commission for a license
254 pursuant to s. 550.5251.
255 (d) Racing under the permit may take place only at the
256 location for which the original quarter horse racing permit was
257 issued, which may be leased by the not-for-profit corporation
258 for that purpose; however, the not-for-profit corporation may,
259 without the conduct of any ratification election pursuant to s.
260 550.054(13) or s. 550.0651, move the location of the permit to
261 another location in the same county
,
or a location in a

262
different county which has been previously authorized for pari

263
mutuel wagering,
provided that such relocation is approved under
264 the zoning and land use regulations of the applicable county or
265 municipality.
266 (e) A permit converted under this section and a license
267 issued to the not-for-profit corporation under chapter 849 are
268 not eligible for transfer to another person or entity.
269 (3) Unless otherwise provided in this section, after
270 conversion, the permit and the not-for-profit corporation shall
271 be treated under the laws of this state as a thoroughbred permit
272 and as a thoroughbred permitholder, respectively, with the
273 exception of ss. 550.09515(3) and 550.6308.
274 Section 5. Section 550.475, Florida Statutes, is amended to
275 read:
276 550.475 Lease of pari-mutuel facilities by pari-mutuel
277 permitholders.—Holders of valid pari-mutuel permits for the
278 conduct of any pari-mutuel wagering in this state
may

are

279
entitled to
lease any
and all
of
the

their
facilities
of

to
any
280 other holder of a
same class
valid pari-mutuel permit
or a

281
thoroughbred training facility holding a valid license issued by

282
the commission
, when located within a
50-mile

35-mile
radius of
283 each other; and such lessee is entitled to a permit and license
284 to conduct intertrack wagering and operate its race meet or jai
285 alai games at the leased premises.
A thoroughbred permitholder

286
relocation pursuant to s. 550.3345(2)(d) or this section, in

287
accordance with s. 550.054, may not operate a cardroom at a

288
leased training facility. Notwithstanding any other law, the

289
lessor of a pari-mutuel facility that has been issued a slot

290
machine license or a cardroom license is an eligible facility as

291
defined in s. 551.102.

292 Section 6. Subsection (1) of section 550.5251, Florida
293 Statutes, is amended to read:
294 550.5251 Florida thoroughbred racing; certain permits;
295 operating days.—
296 (1) Each thoroughbred permitholder
required to offer live

297
racing must

shall
annually, during the period commencing January
298 15 of each year and ending February 4 of the following year,
299 file in writing with the commission its application to conduct
300 one or more thoroughbred racing meetings during the thoroughbred
301 racing season commencing on the following July 1. Each
302 application
must

shall
specify the number and dates of all
303 performances that the permitholder intends to conduct during
304 that thoroughbred racing season. On or before April 15 of each
305 year, the commission shall issue a license authorizing each
306 permitholder to conduct performances on the dates specified in
307 its application. Up to March 28 of each year, each permitholder
308 may request and shall be granted changes in its application to
309 conduct performances; but thereafter, as a condition precedent
310 to the validity of its license and its right to retain its
311 permit, each permitholder must operate the full number of days
312 authorized on each of the dates set forth in its license.
313 Section 7. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment
314 made by this act to sections 550.01215 and 550.475, Florida
315 Statutes, in references thereto, subsections (2) and (8) of
316 section 550.615, Florida Statutes, are reenacted to read:
317 550.615 Intertrack wagering.—
318 (2) Except as provided in subsection (1), a pari-mutuel
319 permitholder that has met the applicable requirement for that
320 permitholder to conduct live racing or games under s.
321 550.01215(1)(b), if any, for fiscal year 2020-2021 is qualified
322 to, at any time, receive broadcasts of any class of pari-mutuel
323 race or game and accept wagers on such races or games conducted
324 by any class of permitholders licensed under this chapter.
325 (8) In any three contiguous counties of the state where
326 there are only three permitholders, all of which are greyhound
327 permitholders, if any permitholder leases the facility of
328 another permitholder for all or any portion of the conduct of
329 its live race meet pursuant to s. 550.475, such lessee may
330 conduct intertrack wagering at its pre-lease permitted facility
331 throughout the entire year.
332 Section 8. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.