Proposed Legislation Threatening to Rein in Horse Racing in Florida Fails to Cross the Finish Line

Bills that would have ‘decoupled’ casino gambling from horse racing at Gulfstream Park have been ‘indefinitely postponed and withdrawn,’ state records show.

A 2-year-old thoroughbred offered in an auction at the Ocala Breeders' Sales facility gallops past potential buyers on April 10, 2025. Natasha Holt/The Epoch Times

OCALA, Fla.—Proposed legislation to allow gambling to continue at a major Florida facility even if horse racing is removed won’t be a finisher this year.

During this session of the Florida Legislature, the legislation affecting the state’s lucrative thoroughbred horse-racing industry initially appeared to be off to a strong start, with lawmakers in both the state House and the Senate moving their respective bills—HB 105 and SB 408—quickly toward the finish line.