FL H1017

Increases criminal penalties for numerous gambling-related offenses across Florida law, upgrading many from misdemeanors to felonies and raising felony degrees (e.g., keeping a gambling house moves from second-degree misdemeanor to third-degree felony; knowingly renting premises for gambling becomes a second-degree felony)

Creates a new first-degree felony for trafficking in illegal slot machines, making it a crime to knowingly sell, purchase, manufacture, transport, or bring into the state more than 15 illegal slot machines, devices, or parts thereof

Establishes new prohibitions on advertising illegal gambling operations, including a second-degree felony for writing, printing, publishing, or disseminating any advertisement connected to illegal gambling, and a separate third-degree felony for knowingly promoting or facilitating illegal gambling through advertisements, including via the Internet

Authorizes the Florida Gaming Control Commission to acquire property (exempt from chapter 255 procurement requirements) for securing or storing seized slot machines and contraband, and adds Commission personnel to the list of officers protected under the false personation statute

Revises bail determination criteria to require courts to consider currency seized in connection with gambling violations and whether bail funds are derived from illegal gambling or slot machine proceeds, and updates the Criminal Punishment Code offense severity ranking chart to reflect the new and reclassified gambling offenses, effective October 1, 2025