Florida Statutes 551.106 – License fee; tax rate; penalties
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(1) LICENSE FEE.–
(a) Upon submission of the initial application for a slot machine license and annually thereafter, on the anniversary date of the issuance of the initial license, the licensee must pay to the commission a nonrefundable license fee of $3 million for the succeeding 12 months of licensure. The licensee must pay the commission a nonrefundable license fee of $2 million for the succeeding 12 months of licensure. The license fee shall be deposited into the Pari-mutuel Wagering Trust Fund to be used by the commission and the Department of Law Enforcement for investigations, regulation of slot machine gaming, and enforcement of slot machine gaming provisions under this chapter. These payments shall be accounted for separately from taxes or fees paid pursuant to the provisions of chapter 550.
Terms Used In Florida Statutes 551.106
- Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
- Commission: means the Florida Gaming Control Commission. See Florida Statutes 551.102
- Electronic funds transfer: The transfer of money between accounts by consumer electronic systems-such as automated teller machines (ATMs) and electronic payment of bills-rather than by check or cash. (Wire transfers, checks, drafts, and paper instruments do not fall into this category.) Source: OCC
- Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
- Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
- oath: includes affirmations. See Florida Statutes 1.01
- Slot machine: means any mechanical or electrical contrivance, terminal that may or may not be capable of downloading slot games from a central server system, machine, or other device that, upon insertion of a coin, bill, ticket, token, or similar object or upon payment of any consideration whatsoever, including the use of any electronic payment system except a credit card or debit card, is available to play or operate, the play or operation of which, whether by reason of skill or application of the element of chance or both, may deliver or entitle the person or persons playing or operating the contrivance, terminal, machine, or other device to receive cash, billets, tickets, tokens, or electronic credits to be exchanged for cash or to receive merchandise or anything of value whatsoever, whether the payoff is made automatically from the machine or manually. See Florida Statutes 551.102
- Slot machine license: means a license issued by the commission authorizing a pari-mutuel permitholder to place and operate slot machines as provided by Florida Statutes 551.102
- Slot machine licensee: means a pari-mutuel permitholder who holds a license issued by the commission pursuant to this chapter that authorizes such person to possess a slot machine within facilities specified in Florida Statutes 551.102
- Slot machine revenues: means the total of all cash and property, except nonredeemable credits, received by the slot machine licensee from the operation of slot machines less the amount of cash, cash equivalents, credits, and prizes paid to winners of slot machine gaming. See Florida Statutes 551.102
(b) Before January 1, 2026, the commission shall evaluate the license fee and shall make recommendations to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives regarding the optimum level of slot machine license fees in order to adequately support the slot machine regulatory program.
(2) TAX ON SLOT MACHINE REVENUES.–
(a) The tax rate on slot machine revenues at each facility shall be 35 percent. If, during any state fiscal year, the aggregate amount of tax paid to the state by all slot machine licensees in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties is less than the aggregate amount of tax paid to the state by all slot machine licensees in the 2008-2009 fiscal year, each slot machine licensee shall pay to the state within 45 days after the end of the state fiscal year a surcharge equal to its pro rata share of an amount equal to the difference between the aggregate amount of tax paid to the state by all slot machine licensees in the 2008-2009 fiscal year and the amount of tax paid during the fiscal year. Each licensee’s pro rata share shall be an amount determined by dividing the number 1 by the number of facilities licensed to operate slot machines during the applicable fiscal year, regardless of whether the facility is operating such machines.
(b) The slot machine revenue tax imposed by this section shall be paid to the commission for deposit into the Pari-mutuel Wagering Trust Fund for immediate transfer by the Chief Financial Officer for deposit into the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund of the Department of Education. Any interest earnings on the tax revenues shall also be transferred to the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund.
(c)1. Funds transferred to the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund under paragraph (b) shall be used to supplement public education funding statewide.
2. If necessary to comply with any covenant established pursuant to s. 1013.68(4), s. 1013.70(1), or s. 1013.737(3), funds transferred to the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund under paragraph (b) shall first be available to pay debt service on lottery bonds issued to fund school construction in the event lottery revenues are insufficient for such purpose or to satisfy debt service reserve requirements established in connection with lottery bonds. Moneys available pursuant to this subparagraph are subject to annual appropriation by the Legislature.
(3) PAYMENT AND DISPOSITION OF TAXES.–Payment for the tax on slot machine revenues imposed by this section shall be paid to the commission. The commission shall deposit these sums with the Chief Financial Officer, to the credit of the Pari-mutuel Wagering Trust Fund. The slot machine licensee shall remit to the commission payment for the tax on slot machine revenues. Such payments shall be remitted by 3 p.m. Wednesday of each week for taxes imposed and collected for the preceding week ending on Sunday. Beginning on July 1, 2012, the slot machine licensee shall remit to the commission payment for the tax on slot machine revenues by 3 p.m. on the 5th day of each calendar month for taxes imposed and collected for the preceding calendar month. If the 5th day of the calendar month falls on a weekend, payments shall be remitted by 3 p.m. the first Monday following the weekend. The slot machine licensee shall file a report under oath by the 5th day of each calendar month for all taxes remitted during the preceding calendar month. Such payments shall be accompanied by a report under oath showing all slot machine gaming activities for the preceding calendar month and such other information as may be prescribed by the commission.
(4) TO PAY TAX; PENALTIES.–A slot machine licensee who fails to make tax payments as required under this section is subject to an administrative penalty of up to $10,000 for each day the tax payment is not remitted. All administrative penalties imposed and collected shall be deposited into the Pari-mutuel Wagering Trust Fund. If any slot machine licensee fails to pay penalties imposed by order of the commission under this subsection, the commission may suspend, revoke, or refuse to renew the license of the slot machine licensee.
(5) SUBMISSION OF FUNDS.–The commission may require slot machine licensees to remit taxes, fees, fines, and assessments by electronic funds transfer.