Florida's Gaming Regulations Face Surgery
As of August 2025, sports betting is legal in Florida but strictly limited to the Seminole Tribe's Hard Rock sportsbook and app, due to an exclusive compact with the tribe. No other sportsbook operators are authorized, and online casino gambling remains prohibited statewide.
Key points regarding Florida's gambling legislation and ongoing changes include:
- The Seminole Indian compact grants exclusive sports betting rights to the tribe, enforced by a revenue-sharing agreement with the state, upheld by the US Supreme Court in June 2024.
- Florida's legislature has passed bills on punitive measures against illegal sports bettors and insider information use (March 2025), but bills aiming to expand or regulate other types of gambling died or were withdrawn by mid-2025.
- There is ongoing controversy and legal challenges centered on whether the compact violates Florida's 2018 constitutional amendment that requires voter approval for gambling expansion. A lawsuit filed in April 2025 by Protect the Constitution LLC alleges that the compact violated this provision.
- Governor Ron DeSantis launched a ballot initiative in January 2025 aiming to prevent future gambling expansions without voter approval.
- Public hearings have been held by Senate committees to discuss bills on gambling enforcement and illegal practices; some bills related to restricting sweepstakes casinos and non-tribal sports betting were withdrawn in May 2025.
- The Florida market is active but remains a single-operator market with Hard Rock Bet as the sole legal operator. Other major sportsbooks such as DraftKings and FanDuel remain sidelined, awaiting possible future changes in regulations.
In summary, Florida’s gambling laws currently permit sports betting only through the Seminole Tribe’s operations under a tightly controlled compact, with ongoing legal disputes, legislative scrutiny, and public debate over the future expansion or reform of gambling regulations.
[1] Florida Politics (2025). "Florida's gambling landscape: Sports betting, Seminole Tribe, and ongoing legislative changes." [Online]. Available: https://floridapolitics.com/archives/377308-floridas-gambling-landscape-sports-betting-seminole-tribe-and-ongoing-legislative-changes
[2] Gambling.com (2025). "Florida sports betting: A guide to the Seminole Tribe's monopoly." [Online]. Available: https://www.gambling.com/us/florida/guide/
[3] Tampa Bay Times (2025). "Florida gambling laws: What's happening with sports betting and the Seminole Tribe?" [Online]. Available: https://www.tampabay.com/florida-politics/buzz/2025/05/15/florida-gambling-laws-whats-happening-with-sports-betting-and-the-seminole-tribe/
[4] Florida Senate (2025). "Committee on Regulated Industries." [Online]. Available: https://www.flsenate.gov/Committees/RegulatedIndustries/MeetingDocs/2025/2025-05-12-RegulatedIndustries-Meeting-Documents.aspx
- Despite the legalization of sports betting in Florida, the gambling trends indicate a single-operator market, with casino personas like the Seminole Tribe's Hard Rock Bet holding exclusive rights, while major casino-games competitors such as DraftKings and FanDuel are restricted due to ongoing legislative changes and legal disputes.
- As the Florida legislature grapples with gambling-trends, lawmakers have passed bills addressing illegal sports betting activities and insider information use, yet bills aiming to expand or regulate other casino-and-gambling sectors have been halted or withdrawn, leaving the future of the industry uncertain and subject to public debate.
