A proposal to separate live horse racing from other gambling operations has returned to the Florida Legislature, reopening a debate that has divided lawmakers, racetrack operators, and the state’s equine industry in recent sessions. The measure, filed ahead of the 2026 legislative session, once again raises questions about the future of Florida’s last remaining thoroughbred tracks and the communities that depend on them.
Florida House Bill 881 was filed by Rep. Adam Anderson, a Republican representing Palm Harbor, and would remove long-standing requirements tying live racing to the operation of certain gambling facilities. The bill targets Florida’s two remaining thoroughbred tracks, Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs , and seeks to allow them to continue operating cardrooms and, in Gulfstream’s case, slot machines without hosting live horse races.
Proposal renews decoupling debate
Under current law, the two thoroughbred tracks must hold live racing in order to offer other forms of gambling. HB 881 proposes to end that requirement. In legislative terms, this approach is known as “decoupling,” a concept that has already reshaped several other gambling sectors in the state. Greyhound racing ended after a statewide vote in 2018, while jai alai and certain non-thoroughbred racing requirements were previously removed from casino permits.
If the bill becomes law, Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs would be allowed to notify the Florida Gaming Control Commission on or after July 1, 2027, that they intend to stop running live races. After providing notice, each track would need to continue racing for three additional years before ending operations entirely. This timeline means that the earliest a track could cease live racing would be in 2030.
Supporters of the measure, including both tracks, argue that the change would align thoroughbred racing with other pari-mutuel facilities that no longer host live events but still offer gambling options. Opponents, however, warn that removing the racing requirement would weaken the economic foundation of Florida’s horse industry, particularly in Marion County, which plays a major role in breeding and training horses at a national level.
New provisions on relocation and permits
While similar legislation was narrowly defeated during the 2025 session, the refiled bill includes additional language that was not part of earlier proposals. HB 881 would allow a pari-mutuel permit holder to lease or conduct live racing at another pari-mutuel facility or a Thoroughbred training center located within 50 miles of the original track.
This provision could affect facilities connected to Gulfstream Park, including the Palm Meadows training center in Palm Beach County, which sits roughly 45.5 miles from Gulfstream. The bill specifies that if a permit holder relocates live racing to a training center under this option, the operator would not be allowed to open a cardroom at that site.
The legislation also creates a potential path for Thoroughbred racing to return to Hialeah Park. Hialeah last hosted Thoroughbred races in 2001 and currently holds a Quarter Horse racing permit. Under HB 881, that permit could be converted into a limited Thoroughbred permit within one year of the bill’s passage. The bill outlines governance rules for such an arrangement, requiring the lessee to be a not-for-profit corporation with an 11-member board divided between appointees of the applicant, the state commission, and jointly selected members.
Broader gambling implications
Beyond live racing requirements, the bill includes provisions unrelated to decoupling that could affect wagering across the state. HB 881 would allow permitholders to impose a surcharge of up to 5 percent on winning wagers placed at Florida simulcast facilities for out-of-state races. The revenue from those surcharges would be split between the host Florida track and horsemen’s purses.
The proposal mirrors earlier changes that allowed former greyhound and harness racing tracks to continue operating cardrooms or casinos after live racing ended. Critics of the current bill argue that thoroughbred racing differs from those sports due to its deeper integration into regional economies and breeding operations.
Florida’s 2026 legislative session is scheduled to begin on Jan. 13. With the bill’s reemergence, lawmakers are expected to revisit arguments that previously stalled the measure in the Senate, as well as concerns raised by industry groups and state officials during the last session.
Source:
Florida Decoupling Bill Could Pave Way For Thoroughbred Racing At Palm Meadows Training Center, Hialeah Park, paulickreport.com, December 23, 2025
