JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Some Florida residents may have woken up Friday, received their paycheck and have a plan to win big money, only to be met with the inability to do so on daily fantasy sports app PrizePicks.
The daily fantasy sports app allows users to participate in parlay-prop-style games where users can bet on the over or under, or more or less on specific athletes' statistics.
The pop-up message shown below was presented on PrizePicks when the app was opened Thursday. PrizePicks says at the request of the Florida Gaming Control Commission, "we're pausing our contests in the state." And although new entries cannot be placed, "funds remain safe, and you can continue to access them after today," the screenshot shows. The notification further mentions that the app is working with policymakers to bring greater clarity to fantasy sports laws in the state and hopes to provide an update on these efforts soon.
In Florida, gambling is defined as playing or engaging in any card game or game of chance, at any place, by any device, for money or another thing of value, according to Florida Statute 849. However, daily fantasy sports is not mentioned in the state's gambling laws as lawful or unlawful, as some argue that placing bets on the apps requires skill, not luck or "chance."
Currently, state law allows placing bets on sports only if it is through a sportsbook operated by or in conjunction with the Seminole Tribe of Florida. The Hard Rock Bet app is the only app where mobile sports betting is legal in the state; it was relaunched on Nov. 7, 2023 in a limited fashion after a federal appeals court decision forced the Seminole Tribe of Florida to suspend the app in 2021. The mobile sports betting feature later became available on the app on Dec. 5, 2023.
Sen. Travis Hutson who represents the district consisting of Flagler, Putnam and St. Johns counties, as well as part of Volusia County, has introduced two bills to allow fantasy sports betting statewide.
If passed, SB 1568 entitled the "Fantasy Sports Contest Act" will require the Florida Gaming Control Commission to enforce and administer the act, provide application requirements for fantasy sports contest operator licenses, require a contest operator to implement specified consumer protection procedures, require contest operators to keep and maintain certain records for a specified period and etc.
And if the Senate bill's counterpart, HB 7081 passes in the Florida House of Representatives, it will require applicants for fantasy sports contest operator license & operators to pay a specified fee and provide limitation on such fee and authorize imposition of certain fees for fingerprint processing.