Florida's efforts to end illegal online gambling will have to wait until 2027

Florida lawmakers introduced multiple bills in 2026 that targeted illegal online casinos and sportsbooks. None of these efforts passed before the recent legislative session ended, meaning all attempts to officially ban unlicensed gambling sites must wait until 2027.

SB 1580 was aimed at prohibiting illegal Florida gambling through several means, including criminalizing any efforts to: 

"Play, engage in, operate, conduct, or promote Internet gambling or Internet sports wagering."

The only states that currently criminalize playing at unlawful gambling sites are Washington (Class C felony) and Maryland (civil violation). SB 1580 would have added Florida to this small list.

The bill quickly gained traction after unanimously passing the Senate in early March, then passing the House after amendments. But the amendments left a concurrence vote up to the Senate, which it didn't get to before the legislative session ended in mid-March. 

Besides widening the criminalization scope on internet gambling, this bill clarified that "games of chance played over the internet for money" are illegal unless they fall under the Seminole Tribe's existing compact. 

The Seminoles currently offer legal online sports betting in Florida through Hard Rock Bet. However, real money online casino games aren't regulated in the Sunshine State. 

Only players in Michigan and New Jersey can currently use the Hard Rock Bet online casino and claim the welcome promo which offers up to $1,000 in lossback casino credits and 500 bonus spins. If you're in a legal online casino state, sign up for Hard Rock here:

Similar to the Senate's bill, HB 189 also targeted unlawful operators and players. But it took things a step further by listing the exact charge for playing at illegal sites:

"Whoever plays or engages in Internet gambling…shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree."

Penalties for a second-degree misdemeanor in Florida include up to 60 days in jail, a $500 fine, and 6 months of probation.

This bill also made, "Operating, conducting, or promoting illegal online gambling," a third-degree felony. Florida's penalties for a third-degree include up to 5 years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

HB 189 featured specific language that would have prohibited both offshore and sweepstakes casinos. It banned simulated casino-style games, which essentially covered sweepstakes sites and their dual-currency model.

The legislation reached the House floor after passing two subcommittees and a full committee. But it stalled there and never got a vote, although the House did include aspects of HB 189 in their SB 1580 amendments.

SB 1164 and HB 591 sought to define and penalize illegal "Internet gambling" and "related offenses." Neither bill clearly went after players like HB 189 and SB 1580, instead directing punishments and revised statutes at offshore operators and affiliates.

They also increased penalties for possessing, operating, and trafficking illegal slot machines, which is a major problem in Florida. Both pieces of legislation died at the subcommittee level.

Like many states that don't offer real money online slots, blackjack, and other games, Florida is frequently targeted by offshore casinos. It also has to deal with unregulated online sportsbooks, even though it features the legal Hard Rock sports betting app.

Another key issue is businesses that operate unlicensed gambling machines. These locations often advertise their games as "skill-based" machines to work around current state laws. However, the amount of skill involved is very minimal and doesn't counteract the house edge.

Florida has stepped up efforts to crack down on unregulated gambling parlors, seizing 6,725 machines and almost $14.5 million in 2025. The dollar figure is more than double the $7 million seized in 2024.

One solution to help alleviate Florida's problems with illegal gambling would be to legalize iCasinos. Unlike Pennsylvania and West Virginia, for example, locals can't enjoy online casinos because there's no regulated market here. Licensed gaming sites would give Floridians a safe and legal route to enjoy online casino games for real money.

However, this solution is more complicated than it seems on paper. The Seminole Tribe has exclusive rights to major forms of gambling through its compact with the state. 

The current compact allows the Seminoles to offer online sports betting but not iCasinos. Any change would require Florida and the tribe to renegotiate a new compact. That would likely result in Hard Rock Bet Casino expanding to Florida. Hard Rock Bet is currently available in New Jersey and Michigan (NJ & MI players can claim the Hard Rock promo here).

Both the state and Seminole Tribe currently seem happy with the online betting-only agreement right now. Negotiations to add legal iCasinos to the mix may not happen in the foreseeable future.

Jeremy Olson