Florida, Nebraska & Connecticut Governors Sign Gaming Expansion Bills into Law

US states are picking up the pace of gambling expansion as many of them try to find solutions to the revenue shortfall brought about by the coronavirus pandemic. Last year in the November ballot, voters in half a dozen states, including Maryland, South Dakota, and Nebraska, voted in favor of expanded gambling within their state lines. Come 2021, legislators in the three states and many other US jurisdictions with pending gaming expansion bills have been pushing harder in their bids to launch new gambling markets.

South Dakota was the very first state in 2021 to have a gambling expansion bill signed into law. Governor Kristi Noem rubberstamped SB 44 on Thursday, March 18th, to officially welcome retail and online sports betting in the Mount Rushmore State. About two weeks later, Wyoming South Dakota’s cue when Gov. Mark Gordon signed HB 133, an online-only sports betting bill, into law on April 5th.

Eleven days later, on April 16th, Gov. Doug Ducey of Arizona gave his signatory approval to HB 2772. However, given that Arizona’s bill involved a tribal-state compact, the state had to wait for a final okay from the US Department of the Interior, which came last week, on Monday, May 24th. In the same week, between May 24th and the 28th, three more states had their governors officially sign off on new gambling expansion laws: Florida, Nebraska, and Connecticut.

a)    Florida’s SB 2–A, and HB 1–A: Tribal-State Gaming Expansion Compact

Last Tuesday, May 25th, Gov. Ron DeSantis became the fourth governor in the US to sign a gaming expansion bill in 2021, after Arizona’s governor Doug Ducey. On that day, Gov. DeSantis signed a series of gambling-related measures, including SB 2–A and HB 1–A, which cover a new 30-year tribal-state compact he had inked with the Seminal Tribe in April.

The tribal-state compact bills give the Seminole Tribe authority to become the backbone of retail and online sports betting in Florida. Additionally, the compact also permits the Native American tribe to introduce craps and roulette on its casinos. In return, Florida is potentially going to receive a $20 billion share of gaming revenue from the tribe in taxes for the next three decades. What remains for this tribal-state compact to take effect is final ratification by the US Department of the Interior.

Gov. DeSantis also signed SB 4–A, a measure that initiates the formation of the Florida Gaming Control Commission as the state gaming regulator. The gaming ombudsman will have a five-member panel to serve a 4-year term upon being appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Florida Senate.

b)    Nebraska’s LB 561: Casino Gaming & Sports Betting

Despite previously being vocal on his opposition to gambling expansion in Nebraska, Governor Pete Rickets heeded the will of the people.  He signed LB 561 into law on Wednesday, May 26th, effectively becoming the fifth US governor to give a thumbs-up to gambling expansion in 2021. The governor’s signature came a week after the bill received overwhelming approval from the state’s unicameral legislature.

Nebraskans are now readying themselves to start enjoying retail sports betting at pari-mutuel racetracks, racinos, and tribal casinos any time between H2 2021 and early next year. Further, according to the new law, the pari-mutuel tracks can also offer Las Vegas-style casino gaming.  Mobile and online sports betting are, however, not part of the newly ratified law.

Given that the bill was passed with emergency clauses, the Nebraska Gaming Commission now has the floor to start drawing the regulations that the new state gaming industry shall follow. Additionally, the license application process for interested operators can begin right away. The new law also renames the State Racing Commission to the State Racing and Gaming Commission, expanding the body’s powers and duties in the process.

a)    Connecticut’s HB 6451: Tribal-State Gaming Expansion Compact

Gov. Ned Lamont of Connecticut is the sixth US governor to sign new gaming legislation into law in 2021. His official rubber stamp on an amended tribal-state gaming compact under HB 6451 came on Thursday, May 27th, less than 48 hours after the State Senate approved the measure. This legislation allows the two federally recognized tribal nations – the Mohegan Tribe and Mashantucket Pequot Tribe, and the Connecticut Lottery to operate online gaming and sports betting in The Nutmeg State.

After signing off the gaming expansion measure, Gov. Lamont expressed his delight for Connecticut’s new chapter in a press briefing, saying:

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“By signing this bill into law, Connecticut is now on the cusp of providing a modern, technologically advanced gaming experience that will be competitive with our neighboring states and positions us for success into the future. Today, we celebrate the result of months of hard work and dedication toward an agreement that is best for the residents of Connecticut and the respective tribal members. I thank all of the legislators on both sides of the aisle who recognized what this deal means for our state and voted to send this bill to my desk. I also appreciate the partnership of the Mohegan Tribe and Mashantucket Pequot Tribe for collaborating with my office so that we could make this happen for the residents of our state.”

Like Florida’s case, what remains for Connecticut’s amended tribal-state gaming compact under HB 6451 to take effect is the final say-so from the Bureau of Indian Affairs at the US Department of Interior. On that matter, the Connecticut governor further added:

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“I am confident that the federal government will see fit to approve these amendments to our compact, and in the coming months we can launch a modernized, 21st-century gaming experience in Connecticut.”