FanDuel and DraftKings put down some major money recently on a campaign to legalize sports betting in Florida. According to records on Florida’s Division of Elections website, each sportsbook gave $10 million to the Florida Education Champions political committee last month to add a statewide sports betting initiative to the November 2022 voting ballot.
According to the records, DraftKings made their contribution on June 23 and FanDuel made theirs on June 24.
In a press release on Monday, David Johnson, chairman of Florida Education Champions committee, said, “Thank you to DraftKings and FanDuel for stepping up to the plate in an incredible way to kick off our amendment process that stands to help all Floridians. Our amendment will direct hundreds of millions of additional dollars toward Florida’s Educational Enhancement Trust Fund and open up the market for online sports betting to competition.”
Last month, the committee proposed an amendment that states if sports and event betting revenues are subject to statewide taxes, those taxes must be put toward supplementing public education in Florida.
The PAC (@FloridaEdChamps) driving the @DraftKings and @FanDuel efforts to bring an open, competitive sports betting market to Florida is starting with a $20 million war chest.
— Sports Handle (@sports_handle) July 12, 2021
Each of DK and FD contributed $10M to the effort to secure placement on the November 2022 ballot. pic.twitter.com/SyRQMYSpEY
“It is our shared goal to have a safe, legal and regulated market for offering online sports betting in the Sunshine State,” FanDuel vice president of government affairs, Cory Fox, also said in the press release. “Once passed by Florida voters in November 2022, this initiative will ensure that the State of Florida shares in the sports wagering revenue that is currently going entirely to the offshore, illegal market.”
This proposal would legalize sports betting at professional sports venues, pari-mutuel facilities, and on online platforms.
Lucy is a sports betting content producer with Audacy and BetQL. She has worked with WEEI and Audacy as a writer, radio producer and podcaster. Lucy lives in Boston and loves Tom Brady and prop bets. Follow Lucy on Twitter at @LucilleBurdge.
