The political action committee Florida Education Champions recently launched a petition drive to make sports betting legal through a constitutional amendment. Revenue would be dedicated to the state’s Educational Enhancement Trust Fund.
The Florida Division of Elections authorized the ballot initiative, which is getting its message out on social media. DraftKings and FanDuel are behind the campaign, according to the group’s spokeswoman Christina Johnson. In order for the amendment to appear on the November ballot, petitioners must collect 891,589 Florida voter signatures plus approval from the Florida Supreme Court.
Individuals may submit a request for a ballot petition, which would be sent by mail along with a postage-paid envelope for returning ballots to the PAC.
The group is headed by a team of certified public accountants and a political consultant. Their proposed amendment 21-13 would impact a major part of the gambling compact negotiated by Governor Ron DeSantis and the Seminole Tribe of Florida, whereby providers other than the tribe could offer on-site and mobile sports betting. Under the compact, the Seminole Tribe holds exclusive rights to sports betting provided wagers are processed by servers located on Seminole tribal land. But the proposed Constitutional amendment would allow providers other than the Seminole Tribe of Florida to do sports betting and mobile sports betting.
In fact, the PAC’s website claims sports betting already is legal in Florida. But the federal government has not approved the gambling compact.
