In the past four months, DraftKings, FanDuel and Voters In Charge, a committee backed by Las Vegas Sands Corp., have contributed more than $32 million to Florida Education Champions, the organization behind a campaign urging Florida voters to approve a constitutional amendment allowing expanded casino gambling and sports betting. The groups donated $22 million in October alone, according to the Florida Division of Elections. The group has spent $16.2 million since it was created in late June.
Florida Education Champions Spokeswoman Christina Johnson said, “DraftKings and FanDuel continue to support the efforts of Florida Education Champions in getting this pro-education, pro-consumer choice amendment on the November 2022 ballot. We believe that giving big Seminole casino bosses a monopoly is not good for Floridians who want choice and competition related to their online sports betting platforms.”
Florida Voters In Charge Spokeswoman Sarah Bascom added, “We have said from day one we will have the resources to be successful. We are confident in our program and look forward to being on the ballot and letting the voters be the ultimate deciders on the future of gaming in Florida.”
In October DraftKings gave another $12.7 million to the campaign; its total contribution now is $22.7 million. FanDuel donated $10 million in October and Florida Education Champions spent $6 million on its petition drive. To date, Florida Education Champions has raised $32.8 million; it started out in November with $16.5 million in the bank.
Florida Voters In Charge in October spent $2 million, bringing the total spent since forming in late June to $16 million, according to recent campaign finance filings. Las Vegas Sands Corp. gave Florida Voters In Charge $10 million in late October, for a total of $27 million for the campaign. The Poarch Creek Band of Indians of Alabama has contributed $1 million. Florida Voters in Charge now has received $28 million; it started November with $12 million left to spend.
Meanwhile, Standing Up For Florida, a committee backed by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, spent nearly $5.6 million in October on TV commercials urging Floridians not to sign Florida Education Champions’ gambling petitions.
The petition drives led by DraftKings and FanDuel and by Las Vegas Sands
both need 891,589 verified voters’ signatures by January. According to recent posts by the Florida Secretary of State, neither is close. Both committees claim they have collected many more signatures than current numbers indicate; they stated verifying the signatures is holding up progress. As of November 11, Florida Education Champions had 91,524 fully verified voter signatures and Florida Voters In Charge had 109,981.
