Florida approves new bill to protect greyhound racing industry
The state of Florida has recently approved a bill that provides new allowances to the greyhound racing industry in order to ensure its survival. According to the bill, it will no longer be necessary for the greyhound racing tracks to continue with live greyhound
racing if they want to pursue gambling options such as card tables and betting games.
There has been considerable debate over the bill in the past few months with both proponents as well as opponents of the issue voicing strong opinions. Those who are in favour of the bill raise the argument that the measure would ensure the safety of the
country's deteriorating greyhound racing industry, as the race tracks would have a means of generating revenue. They also claim that the revenue generated from other gambling options would enable the racetracks to generate enough funds in order to undertake
the necessary activities that are required to upgrade the race tracks.
However, opponents of the measure say that allowing the greyhound racing tracks to start gambling operations even if they are providing live greyhound racing, in fact translates into the expansion of gambling.
Not only that, the move has also sent a message to the horse racing industry to make this allowance an option for them too. The basis on which the greyhound racing tracks have been given the allowance is that most of the tracks are suffering financially
and the measure has become necessary to save them. The horse racing industry could use the same argument and ask for similar allowances. In fact, some of the people involved in the horse racing industry plan to do just that in the coming year.
The greyhound racing industry has been experiencing a consistent downfall over the past few years. Until not too long ago, there were 50 greyhound racetracks in the United States. That number has now fallen to 25. Earlier, the 50 racetracks were dotted over
a considerable number of states, but now they can only be found in seven of them.
The essence of the bill, which is named HB 1145, is to protect the greyhound racing industry. Only time will tell how far the bill goes to achieving that.
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