(1) All guest tracks which are eligible to receive broadcasts and accept wagers on horseraces from a host track racing under either a thoroughbred or quarter horse permit shall be entitled to payment of 7 percent of the total contributions to the pari-mutuel pool on wagers accepted at the guest track. All guest tracks that are eligible to receive broadcasts and accept wagers on greyhound races or jai alai games from a host track other than a thoroughbred or harness permitholder shall be entitled to payments of not less than 5 percent of the total contributions to the daily pari-mutuel pool on wagers accepted at the guest track. All guest tracks that are eligible to receive broadcasts and accept wagers on horseraces from a host track racing under a harness horse permit shall be entitled to a payment of 5 percent of the total contributions to the daily pari-mutuel pool on wagers accepted at the guest track. However, if a guest track is a horserace permitholder that accepts intertrack wagers during its current race meet, one-half of the payment provided in this subsection and s. 550.6345 shall be paid as purses during its current race meet.
(a) However, if the host track is a thoroughbred permitholder, and the guest track is also a thoroughbred permitholder and accepts intertrack wagers on thoroughbred races during its current race meet, one-third of the payment provided in this subsection shall be paid as purses during its current race meet. In addition, an amount equal to 2 percent of the intertrack handle at the thoroughbred guest track shall be remitted by the host track to the guest thoroughbred track, which amount shall be deducted from the purses required to be paid by the host track. Such amount shall be paid by the guest thoroughbred track as purses during its current race meet.
(b) If thoroughbred intertrack wagering is taken at any guest track, including a thoroughbred guest track, which is located within 25 miles of any thoroughbred permitholder that is not conducting live racing, the host track shall pay to such thoroughbred permitholder an amount equal to 2 percent of the intertrack handle at all such guest tracks, including the guest thoroughbred track, which amount shall be deducted from the purses otherwise required to be paid by the host track. This amount shall be used by the thoroughbred permitholder to pay purses during its next race meet.
(2) For the purposes of calculation of odds and payoffs and distribution of the pari-mutuel pools, all intertrack wagers shall be combined with the pari-mutuel pools at the host track.
(3) All forms of pari-mutuel wagering shall be allowed on all wagering authorized under s. 550.615 and this section.
(4) The takeout on all intertrack wagering shall be the same as the takeout on similar pari-mutuel pools conducted at the host track.
(5) The division shall adopt rules providing an expedient accounting procedure for the transfer of the pari-mutuel pool in order to properly account for payment of state taxes, payment to the guest track, payment to the host track, payment of purses, payment to breeders’ associations, payment to horsemen’s associations, and payment to the public.
(6) Each host track or guest track conducting intertrack wagering shall annually file an audit identifying the intertrack wagering conducted, from wagering conducted live, which audit shall be in compliance with s. 550.125.
(7) No guest track shall make any payment to any patron on any pari-mutuel ticket purchased on any race broadcast until the stewards, judges, or panel of judges at the host track where the race or game originates has confirmed the race or game as official.
(8) The entry and participation for a purse or other prize of any racing animal by the owner of the animal and the jockey or driver is tantamount to the acceptance of such purse or prize as full and complete remuneration and payment for such entry and participation, including the broadcast of such event.
(9) A host track that has contracted with an out-of-state horse track to broadcast live races conducted at such out-of-state horse track pursuant to s. 550.3551(5) may broadcast such out-of-state races to any guest track and accept wagers thereon in the same manner as is provided in s. 550.3551.
(a) For purposes of this section, “net proceeds” means the amount of takeout remaining after the payment of state taxes, purses required pursuant to s. 550.0951(3)(c)1., the cost to the permitholder required to be paid to the out-of-state horse track, and breeders’ awards paid to the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association and the Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association, to be used as set forth in s. 550.625(2)(a) and (b).
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (1) and s. 550.625(1) and (2)(a), the distribution of the net proceeds that are retained by a thoroughbred host track from the takeout on an out-of-state race rebroadcast under this subsection shall be as follows:
1. One-third of the remainder of such proceeds shall be paid to the guest track;
2. One-third of the remainder of such proceeds shall be retained by the host track; and
3. One-third of the remainder of such proceeds shall be paid by the host track as purses at the host track.
(c) All guest tracks other than thoroughbred permitholders that are eligible to receive wagers on out-of-state horseraces rebroadcast from a host track racing under a thoroughbred horse permit shall be subject to the distribution of the net proceeds as specified in paragraph (a) unless the host and guest permitholders and the recognized horseman’s group agree to a different distribution of their respective portions of the proceeds by contract.
(d) Any permitholder located in any area of the state where there are only two permits, one for dogracing and one for jai alai, may accept wagers on rebroadcasts of out-of-state thoroughbred horse races from an in-state thoroughbred horse racing permitholder and shall not be subject to the provisions of paragraph (b) if such thoroughbred horse racing permitholder located within the area specified in this paragraph is both conducting live races and accepting wagers on out-of-state horseraces. In such case, the guest permitholder shall be entitled to 45 percent of the net proceeds on wagers accepted at the guest facility. The remaining proceeds shall be distributed as follows: one-half shall be retained by the host facility and one-half shall be paid by the host facility as purses at the host facility.
(e) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (1) and s. 550.625(1) and (2)(b), the proceeds that are retained by a harness host facility from the takeout on a race broadcast under this subsection shall be distributed as follows:
1. Of the total intertrack handle on the broadcast, 1 percent shall be deducted from the proceeds and paid to the Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association, Inc., to be used as set forth in s. 550.625(2)(b);
2. One-third of the remainder of such proceeds shall be paid to the guest facility;
3. One-third of the remainder of such proceeds shall be retained by the host facility; and
4. One-third of the remainder of said proceeds shall be paid by the host facility as purses at the host facility.
(f) Any permitholder located in any area of the state where there are only two permits, one for dogracing and one for jai alai, may accept wagers on rebroadcasts of out-of-state harness horse races from an in-state harness horse racing permitholder and shall not be subject to the provisions of paragraph (b) if such harness horse racing permitholder located within the area specified in this paragraph is conducting live races. In such case, the guest permitholder shall be entitled to 45 percent of the net proceeds on wagers accepted at the guest facility. The remaining proceeds shall be distributed as follows: one-half shall be retained by the host facility and one-half shall be paid by the host facility as purses at the host facility.
(g)1. Any thoroughbred permitholder which accepts wagers on a simulcast signal must make the signal available to any permitholder that is eligible to conduct intertrack wagering under the provisions of ss. 550.615-550.6345.
2. Any thoroughbred permitholder which accepts wagers on a simulcast signal received after 6 p.m. must make such signal available to any permitholder that is eligible to conduct intertrack wagering under the provisions of ss. 550.615-550.6345, including any permitholder located as specified in s. 550.615(6). Such guest permitholders are authorized to accept wagers on such simulcast signal, notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter to the contrary.
3. Any thoroughbred permitholder which accepts wagers on a simulcast signal received after 6 p.m. must make such signal available to any permitholder that is eligible to conduct intertrack wagering under the provisions of ss. 550.615-550.6345, including any permitholder located as specified in 1s. 550.615(9). Such guest permitholders are authorized to accept wagers on such simulcast signals for a number of performances not to exceed that which constitutes a full schedule of live races for a quarter horse permitholder pursuant to s. 550.002(11), notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter to the contrary, except that the restrictions provided in 1s. 550.615(9)(a) apply to wagers on such simulcast signals.
No thoroughbred permitholder shall be required to continue to rebroadcast a simulcast signal to any in-state permitholder if the average per performance gross receipts returned to the host permitholder over the preceding 30-day period were less than $100. Subject to the provisions of s. 550.615(4), as a condition of receiving rebroadcasts of thoroughbred simulcast signals under this paragraph, a guest permitholder must accept intertrack wagers on all live races conducted by all then-operating thoroughbred permitholders.
(10) All races or games conducted at a permitholder’s facility, all broadcasts of such races or games, and all broadcast rights relating thereto are owned by the permitholder at whose facility such races or games are conducted and constitute the permitholder’s property as defined in s. 812.012(4). Transmission, reception of a transmission, exhibition, use, or other appropriation of such races or games, broadcasts of such races or games, or broadcast rights relating thereto without the written consent of the permitholder constitutes a theft of such property under s. 812.014; and in addition to the penal sanctions contained in s. 812.014, the permitholder has the right to avail itself of the civil remedies specified in ss. 772.104, 772.11, and 812.035 in addition to any other remedies available under applicable state or federal law.
(11) To the extent that any rights, privileges, or immunities granted to pari-mutuel permitholders in this section conflict with any provision of any other law or affect any order or rule of the Florida Public Service Commission relating to the regulation of public utilities and the furnishing to others of any communication, wire service, or other similar service or equipment, the rights, privileges, and immunities granted under this section prevail over such conflicting provision.
History.—s. 49, ch. 92-348; s. 17, ch. 96-364; s. 10, ch. 98-190; s. 20, ch. 2000-354; s. 27, ch. 2001-63; s. 85, ch. 2002-1; s. 14, ch. 2002-2; s. 101, ch. 2019-167; s. 28, ch. 2021-271.
1Note.—Repealed by s. 44, ch. 2000-354.