Florida does not currently have a regulated online casino market. The only form of online gambling allowed is sports betting specifically through the Hard Rock Bet app, which is offered exclusively by the Seminole Tribe of Florida in a 30 year-contract with the state. The Sunshine State is known for its tribal casinos, mostly also owned by the Seminoles, which proves their is a market for gambling. But licensed and regulated online casino venues have so far proved controversial.
Supporters of the move say it could make the state billions annually in tax revenue, and they point to the existing offshore grey-area market which is unregulated. However, lawmakers have pushed back against that and even tried to tighten rules on gambling outside of the Seminoles’ operations. The multibillion dollar tribal gambling operator would also probably want inclusion if online casinos were legalized, and may even be lobbying against it. This is what you need to know about whether or not Florida will legalize online casinos anytime soon.
What Gambling is Legal in Florida Right Now
- Online sports betting (only via Hard Rock Bet)
- Sweepstakes Online Casinos
- Tribal casinos
- Racetracks
- Player vs player Cardrooms
The Current Legal Status and Where Things Stand Today
The only kind of legal online gambling is Florida is sports betting via the Hard Rock Bet app which is regulated under the Seminole Gaming Compact. Grey-area online casinos do exist, and estimates suggest they may make hundreds of millions a year from customers in Florida.
But, if anything, Florida’s lawmakers have been cracking down on them. In early 2025, the Florida Gaming Control Commission sent cease and desist letters to several well known US-targeting offshore sportsbooks that it said were operating in the state.
Now in 2026, some lawmakers are pushing for further penalties against offshore operations – including making it a third-degree felony offence. This is one suggestion in House Bill 591 submitted by Representative Benny Jacques (R-59) which was introduced for the 2026 legislative session.
Other lawmakers have been concerned with sweepstakes casinos. This controversial model uses a dual virtual currency system to circumnavigate online gambling laws and allow for real money play via exchange of prizes or sweeps. One bill aiming to tackle this kind of operation failed to pass in 2025, but it hasn’t been resubmitted so far in 2026.
The Arguments for Legalization and Potential Roadblocks
The arguments for the spread of legal online casinos in the US often include:
- Legal operators certifiably take customers away from untaxed and unregulated offshore sites
- Tax revenue increases considerably
- Prohibition is not working as people use offshore sites or sweepstakes casinos anyway
- Morally, gambling should be considered a personal freedom and not restricted
US casino customers and politicians in gambling-legal states are now accustomed to a high standard of regulated operations. Comparative online resources like Casino.org and their analyses of US casinos, mean customers never have to settle for lower quality experiences as they can compare all the top options with ease. This kind of transparency and clarity could help shape the standards in Florida, should it ever open its own regulated market.
Setting up regulation for online casinos is not a cheap process, but states can charge hundreds of thousands or even millions for licenses and then multiple times that in yearly taxes. Nevertheless, state lawmakers may be wary of forging ahead with such an undertaking.
Another complication is Florida’s powerful tribal gaming interests. While the Seminoles have yet to come out formally against the idea of online casinos, they went through years of legal battles and opposition from Florida’s card rooms over their exclusive rights to online sports betting in the state. Their Hard Rock Digital online gambling division is now worth billions – mostly off the back of that monopoly market. So it’s difficult to see them dropping the ball and allowing someone else to come in and offer online casino games without them being involved or even given priority.
Will it Happen Soon? The Educated Verdict
Despite the potential benefits of legalization for state coffers and the state’s gambling fans, Florida looks unlikely to expand its online gambling market to include casinos in the near future.
There are no currently active bills in the Florida legislature looking to legalize online casinos, and Governor DeSantis has made no public comments on the issue – signalling limited appetite among state politicians. If representatives did want to do so, it would likely result in a public referendum.
In Florida any change needs a 60% majority to pass a public vote, which is higher than referendums in any other state. The deep-pocketed Seminoles would also likely oppose any bill from the start to the referendum stage, and Tribal opposition has been effective in killing online gambling bills in other states such as California.
The hotly-contested debate around online casinos cannibalising customers from land-based venues is also far from settled. Meaning its hard to see the Seminoles being in favor of bringing in national competition like DraftKings and FanDuel to compete against their giant casino resorts with online offerings.
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