The push to allow thoroughbred horse tracks to hold card room and slot machine permits without live racing requirements has stalled in the Senate but is moving through the House. The House version of the bill has cleared the Commerce Committee and is heading to the full House floor, while the Senate version was postponed at the Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government.

Opponents of the bill argue that decoupling live horse racing from slot machine and card room permits could lead to the end of thoroughbred horse racing in Florida, impacting an industry that supports thousands of jobs and has a significant economic impact. However, supporters of the bill argue that the industry is already declining and is being propped up through unsustainable state subsidies.

Both the House and Senate have offered amendments to the decoupling legislation aimed at protecting the horse racing industry, including provisions for a seven-year window for the industry to secure its future and notice requirements before ending live horse racing. Despite opposition and concerns about undoing voter-approved measures, the bill passed the House committee but faces challenges in the Senate.