Florida statute
Fla. Stat. § 838.12 — Bribery in athletic contests
Current through 2025 Florida Statutes
Part of Chapter 838: Bribery; Misuse of Public Office, Florida Statutes.
Criminal charges under this statute
Full text of Fla. Stat. § 838.12
Statutory text current through the 2025 Florida Statutes. This publication reproduces the official statutory text; it is not the official statutes of the State of Florida.
(1) Whoever gives, promises, offers or conspires to give, promise or offer, to anyone who participates or expects to participate in any professional or amateur game, contest, match, race or sport; or to any umpire, referee, judge or other official of such game, contest, match, race or sport; or to any owner, manager, coach or trainer of, or to any relative of, or to any person having any direct, indirect, remote or possible connection with, any team, individual, participant or prospective participant in any such professional or amateur game, contest, match, race or sport, or the officials aforesaid, any bribe, money, goods, present, reward or any valuable thing whatsoever, or any promise, contract or agreement whatsoever, with intent to influence him or her or them to lose or cause to be lost any game, contest, match, race or sport, or to limit his or her or their or any person’s or any team’s margin of victory in any game, contest, match, race, or sport, or to fix or throw any game, contest, match, race or sport, shall be guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
(2) Any participant or prospective participant in any professional or amateur game, contest, match, race or sport; or any umpire, referee, judge or other official of such game, contest, match, race or sport; or any owner, manager, coach or trainer of, or any relative of, or any person having any direct, indirect, remote or possible connection with, any team, individual, participant or prospective participant in any such professional or amateur game, contest, match, race or sport, or the officials aforesaid; who in any way solicits, receives or accepts, or agrees to receive or accept, or who conspires to receive or accept, any bribe, money, goods, present, reward or any valuable thing whatsoever, or any promise, contract or agreement whatsoever, with intent to lose or cause to be lost any game, contest, match, race or sport, or to limit his, her, their or any person’s or any team’s margin of victory in any game, contest, match, race or sport, or to fix or throw any game, contest, match, race or sport, shall be guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
Official sources
Legal terms used in this section
Questions this section answers
Is bribery in athletic contests a felony or a misdemeanor in Florida?
Bribery in athletic contests is a Felony of the Third Degree in Florida under Fla. Stat. § 838.12.
Which Florida statute covers bribery in athletic contests?
Bribery in athletic contests is governed by Fla. Stat. § 838.12 (Bribery in athletic contests).
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.