(1) Wagering on greyhound racing is subject to a tax on handle for live greyhound racing as specified in s. 550.0951(3). However, each permitholder shall pay no tax on handle until such time as this subsection has resulted in a tax savings per state fiscal year of $360,000. Thereafter, each permitholder shall pay the tax as specified in s. 550.0951(3) on all handle for the remainder of the permitholder’s current race meet. For the three permitholders that conducted a full schedule of live racing in 1995, and are closest to another state that authorizes greyhound pari-mutuel wagering, the maximum tax savings per state fiscal year shall be $500,000. The provisions of this subsection relating to tax exemptions shall not apply to any charity or scholarship performances conducted pursuant to s. 550.0351.
(2)(a) The commission shall determine for each greyhound permitholder the annual purse percentage rate of live handle for the state fiscal year 1993-1994 by dividing total purses paid on live handle by the permitholder, exclusive of payments made from outside sources, during the 1993-1994 state fiscal year by the permitholder’s live handle for the 1993-1994 state fiscal year. Each permitholder shall pay as purses for live races conducted during its current race meet a percentage of its live handle not less than the percentage determined under this paragraph, exclusive of payments made by outside sources, for its 1993-1994 state fiscal year.
(b) Except as otherwise set forth herein, in addition to the minimum purse percentage required by paragraph (a), each permitholder shall pay as purses an annual amount equal to 75 percent of the daily license fees paid by each permitholder for the 1994-1995 fiscal year. This purse supplement shall be disbursed weekly during the permitholder’s race meet in an amount determined by dividing the annual purse supplement by the number of performances approved for the permitholder pursuant to its annual license and multiplying that amount by the number of performances conducted each week. For the greyhound permitholders in the county where there are two greyhound permitholders located as specified in s. 550.615(6), such permitholders shall pay in the aggregate an amount equal to 75 percent of the daily license fees paid by such permitholders for the 1994-1995 fiscal year. These permitholders shall be jointly and severally liable for such purse payments. The additional purses provided by this paragraph must be used exclusively for purses other than stakes. The commission shall conduct audits necessary to ensure compliance with this section.
(c)1. Each greyhound permitholder when conducting at least three live performances during any week shall pay purses in that week on wagers it accepts as a guest track on intertrack and simulcast greyhound races at the same rate as it pays on live races. Each greyhound permitholder when conducting at least three live performances during any week shall pay purses in that week, at the same rate as it pays on live races, on wagers accepted on greyhound races at a guest track which is not conducting live racing and is located within the same market area as the greyhound permitholder conducting at least three live performances during any week.
2. Each host greyhound permitholder shall pay purses on its simulcast and intertrack broadcasts of greyhound races to guest facilities that are located outside its market area in an amount equal to one quarter of an amount determined by subtracting the transmission costs of sending the simulcast or intertrack broadcasts from an amount determined by adding the fees received for greyhound simulcast races plus 3 percent of the greyhound intertrack handle at guest facilities that are located outside the market area of the host and that paid contractual fees to the host for such broadcasts of greyhound races.
(d) The commission shall require sufficient documentation from each greyhound permitholder regarding purses paid on live racing to assure that the annual purse percentage rates paid by each permitholder on the live races are not reduced below those paid during the 1993-1994 state fiscal year. The commission shall require sufficient documentation from each greyhound permitholder to assure that the purses paid by each permitholder on the greyhound intertrack and simulcast broadcasts are in compliance with the requirements of paragraph (c).
(e) In addition to the purse requirements of paragraphs (a)-(c), each greyhound permitholder shall pay as purses an amount equal to one-third of the amount of the tax reduction on live and simulcast handle applicable to such permitholder as a result of the reductions in tax rates provided by this act through the amendments to s. 550.0951(3). With respect to intertrack wagering when the host and guest tracks are greyhound permitholders not within the same market area, an amount equal to the tax reduction applicable to the guest track handle as a result of the reduction in tax rate provided by this act through the amendment to s. 550.0951(3) shall be distributed to the guest track, one-third of which amount shall be paid as purses at the guest track. However, if the guest track is a greyhound permitholder within the market area of the host or if the guest track is not a greyhound permitholder, an amount equal to such tax reduction applicable to the guest track handle shall be retained by the host track, one-third of which amount shall be paid as purses at the host track. These purse funds shall be disbursed in the week received if the permitholder conducts at least one live performance during that week. If the permitholder does not conduct at least one live performance during the week in which the purse funds are received, the purse funds shall be disbursed weekly during the permitholder’s next race meet in an amount determined by dividing the purse amount by the number of performances approved for the permitholder pursuant to its annual license, and multiplying that amount by the number of performances conducted each week. The commission shall conduct audits necessary to ensure compliance with this paragraph.
(f) Each greyhound permitholder shall, during the permitholder’s race meet, supply kennel operators and the commission with a weekly report showing purses paid on live greyhound races and all greyhound intertrack and simulcast broadcasts, including both as a guest and a host together with the handle or commission calculations on which such purses were paid and the transmission costs of sending the simulcast or intertrack broadcasts, so that the kennel operators may determine statutory and contractual compliance.
(g) Each greyhound permitholder shall make direct payment of purses to the greyhound owners who have filed with such permitholder appropriate federal taxpayer identification information based on the percentage amount agreed upon between the kennel operator and the greyhound owner.
(h) At the request of a majority of kennel operators under contract with a greyhound permitholder, the permitholder shall make deductions from purses paid to each kennel operator electing such deduction and shall make a direct payment of such deductions to the local association of greyhound kennel operators formed by a majority of kennel operators under contract with the permitholder. The amount of the deduction shall be at least 1 percent of purses, as determined by the local association of greyhound kennel operators. No deductions may be taken pursuant to this paragraph without a kennel operator’s specific approval before or after the effective date of this act.
(3) For the purpose of this section, the term “live handle” means the handle from wagers placed at the permitholder’s establishment on the live greyhound races conducted at the permitholder’s establishment.
History.—s. 6, ch. 96-364; s. 3, ch. 98-217; s. 60, ch. 99-5; s. 74, ch. 2000-158; s. 8, ch. 2000-354; s. 9, ch. 2009-170; ss. 4, 5, ch. 2010-29; s. 18, ch. 2022-7; s. 18, ch. 2024-115.
