HB 709 would amend Florida’s pari-mutuel facility leasing law to specifically allow holders of valid pari-mutuel permits to lease facilities to another holder of the same class permit, or to a jai alai permitholder, if the facilities are within 35 miles of each other. A lessee would be allowed to apply for the permit and license needed to conduct intertrack wagering and operate race meet or jai alai games at the leased facility.
The bill also places limits on what may be operated at the leased site. It expressly prohibits the lessee from operating a cardroom or slot machine license at the leased facility. For jai alai permitholders, the bill requires at least 59 live performances using the permitholder’s existing permit and bars operation under the lessor’s permit premises. The act would take effect July 1, 2025.
HB 709 would revise section 550.475, Florida Statutes, by expanding and clarifying who may lease pari-mutuel facilities and under what geographic conditions. It would create a specific leasing pathway for jai alai permitholders and other same-class pari-mutuel permit holders within a 35-mile radius, while preserving restrictions on gaming activities at leased facilities. The bill would affect pari-mutuel permit holders, jai alai operators, and facilities that conduct intertrack wagering, but it would not authorize cardrooms or slot machines at leased locations.
The available record shows limited public debate, with no committee transcript or recorded votes included. The bill’s language suggests a targeted industry-specific adjustment rather than a broad policy change, and its failure in the Commerce Committee indicates it did not advance despite being considered. Because there is no transcript, the overall sentiment can only be inferred from the bill’s narrow scope and its committee outcome, not from expressed testimony or floor debate.
The main points of contention likely centered on the bill’s special treatment of jai alai permitholders and the expansion of leasing rights for pari-mutuel facilities. Potential concerns include whether the 35-mile radius and same-class leasing rules create competitive advantages, whether the bill could indirectly affect gaming operations, and whether the live-performance requirement is sufficient to preserve the integrity of jai alai permits. The explicit prohibition on cardrooms and slot machines at leased facilities also suggests sensitivity around expanding casino-style gaming through facility leases.