License fee; tax rate; penalties.

(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. Beginning July 1, 2025, each thoroughbred permitholder in compliance with this chapter is not required to pay an annual license fee to the commission as a condition of renewal. Beginning July 1, 2026, any permitholder that held a valid slot license as of January 1, 2026, that is prohibited from conducting live racing by the Florida Constitution and is located in a county where the Seminole Tribe of Florida operates at least two casinos, is exempt from paying the annual license fee pursuant to this subsection and is not required to pay an annual license fee to the commission as a condition of renewal. 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.

(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 34 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.