ORLANDO, Fla. – Amendment 13, which proposed to end dog racing in connection with wagering, passed with 68 percent of the votes more than two hours after the polls closed.
The amendment pushed to phase out greyhound racing, or any other dog racing, where money or other items of value take place in gambling, by 2020. Other types of gaming activities are not affected.
Florida is one of six states where dog racing was kept legal. Under Florida law, tracks have been required to race greyhounds in order to keep their license and offer other gambling activities, like card games or slot machines.
A greyhound welfare group, GREY2K USA Worldwide, supported the amendment. The Florida Greyhound Association, which represents the state's 12 track owners, filed a lawsuit against the amendment because they believed the ballot was misleading by not stating that track owners will continue to offer other types of gaming. Breeders and those involved in the industry also oppose the amendment.
For more information on amendments, click here.