Florida/Georgia Personal Injury & Workers Compensation

You're probably overthinking it. Call a lawyer.

Call Now: 904-383-7448
Florida Statute 838.12 - Full Text and Legal Analysis Florida Statute 838.12 | Lawyer Caselaw & Research
Fla. Stat. § 838.12 (2026) Copy Cite Official Site Syfertize CourtListener Amendments
838.12 Bribery in athletic contests.—
(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.
History.—ss. 1, 2, ch. 28024, 1953; s. 1010, ch. 71-136; s. 1317, ch. 97-102.

Arrestable Offenses under F.S. 838.12

M = misdemeanor · F = felony · degree: F=1st S=2nd T=3rd
§838.12BRIBEOFFER/SOLICIT/ACCEPT BRIBE ATHLETIC CONTESTF · 3rd

Cases Citing F.S. 838.12

Fla. Stat. § 838.12 (2026) Copy Cite Official Site Syfertize CourtListener Amendments
7 resultsSort: Relevance · Newest · Treatment
Copy

·State v. Hart, 677 So. 2d 385 (Fla. 4th DCA 1996).

Cited 6 times | Published | Florida 4th District Court of Appeal | 1996 WL 396313

"unarrest" him, giving rise to a violation of section 838.012(1), Florida Statutes (1995). Comparing Hart's
0 red0 yellow4 green0 procedural
Cited as authorityLucas (2020)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authorityFlansbaum-Talabisco (2013)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authorityFiguereo (2000)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Open case for full Syfertize analysis →
Copy

·Williams v. Christian, 335 So. 2d 358 (Fla. 1st DCA 1976).

Cited 5 times | Published | Florida 1st District Court of Appeal

Christian with the crime of bribery pursuant to Section 838.012, Florida Statutes (1973), and one count with
0 red0 yellow4 green0 procedural
Cited as authority(citing case) (2024)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authorityChuck (2004)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authorityMulligan (2004)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Open case for full Syfertize analysis →
Copy

·Smith v. State, 253 So. 2d 465 (Fla. 1st DCA 1971).

Cited 7 times | Published | Florida 1st District Court of Appeal

properly tried under the correct statute, (F.S. Section 838.012, F.S.A.) or whether he should have been tried
1 red0 yellow2 green0 procedural
Overruled(citing case) (1982)
phrase: "overruling"
Cited as authorityGeorge (2018)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authority(citing case) (2013)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Open case for full Syfertize analysis →
Copy

·Buchanan v. State ex rel. Husk, 167 So. 2d 38 (Fla. 3d DCA 1964).

Published | Florida 3rd District Court of Appeal

charging Husk with accepting a bribe in violation of § 838.012, Fla.Stat., F.S.A The information charged that
0 red0 yellow3 green0 procedural
Cited as authorityJoseph (2012)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authorityRice (2012)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authorityTsavaris (1977)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Open case for full Syfertize analysis →
Copy

Nell v. State, 266 So. 2d 404 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1972).

Published | District Court of Appeal of Florida | 1972 Fla. App. LEXIS 6331

The rationale of the Court’s decision was: “Section 838.012, as enacted in 1955, is limited to the charges
Copy

·State ex rel. Marshall v. Turner, 175 So. 2d 809 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1965).

Published | District Court of Appeal of Florida | 1965 Fla. App. LEXIS 4236

officers, was charged with conspiracy to violate Section 838.012, Florida Statutes, F.S.A.; with corruptly requesting
0 red0 yellow0 green1 procedural
Cert. deniedTurner (1965)
phrase: "certiorari denied"
Open case for full Syfertize analysis →
Copy

·Barmack v. State, 276 So. 2d 247 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1973).

Published | District Court of Appeal of Florida | 1973 Fla. App. LEXIS 6921

judge is a public officer under Florida Statute § 838.-012, F.S.A. The Florida Supreme Court in Farragut
0 red0 yellow0 green1 procedural
Cert. deniedBarmack (1973)
phrase: "certiorari denied"
Open case for full Syfertize analysis →

This Florida statute resource is curated by the attorney maintaining this site, a Jacksonville, Florida criminal defense attorney (Florida Bar No. 39104). Attorney Syfert regularly handles Chapter 838 matters in the context of public corruption and white collar defense and represents clients throughout Northeast Florida. For legal consultation, call 904-383-7448.