Florida’s Attorney General James Uthmeier has called on lawmakers to step up and act tougher against illegal gambling, which is currently a misdemeanor under state law. Rather, argues AG Uthmeier, it should be sanctioned as a criminal activity, in a bid to send the “right message” to individuals who are involved in such illicit activities.
In a social media post on X, AG Uthmeier said: “I’ve encouraged the Legislature to raise the penalty for such dangerous operations, often combined with trafficking and laundering, from a misdemeanor to a felony. Let’s hold criminals accountable!”
According to the AG, illegal gambling is associated with criminal behavior, whether this is money laundering or racketeering, and this is precisely why it should be treated as a crime under state law. The buck is on lawmakers to enact changes that would allow the prosecution to step up, however.
AG Uthmeier is also confident of Florida’s ability to track, flag, and dismantle illegal gambling operations, citing the state’s record in busting dozens of gambling rings, worth tens of millions of dollars. But this may not be enough.
According to the AG, raising the stakes for people to run such operations would act as a natural deterrent, but also hold people accountable if they engage in such illicit activities. AG Uthemeier has already welcomed efforts to see this encoded in law, giving the prosecution teeth to come down harder on wrongdoers.
A recent bill introduced in the Sunshine State is also looking to criminalize sports betting bribes, stemming from a recent spate of scandals involving high-profile professional athletes who have been said to collude with Mafia-type figures to alter sports event outcomes to match betting expectations.