Florida lawmakers are working on a coordinated crackdown on gambling activity that sits outside the state’s control with the Seminole Tribe, advancing two separate bills that together would reshape enforcement against illegal betting, unlicensed gaming machines, and online platforms operating in legal grey areas.
The effort centres on House Bill 189 and House Bill 591, which have both cleared early procedural steps ahead of the 2026 legislative plans. While the measures address different parts of Florida’s gambling landscape, taken together they create a clear policy direction: tightening state control over gambling and reinforcing the Seminole Tribe’s exclusive position in legal sports betting and casino-style gaming.
Lawmakers cite enforcement gaps and betting integrity risks
Florida officials have spent much of the past two years warning that existing gambling laws lack the teeth needed to deter illegal operators. Regulators argue that misdemeanor penalties have failed to stop the spread of unlicensed slot-style machines, often operating under the guise of “gaming rooms” in strip malls, petrol stations, and small retail spaces across the state.
At the same time, lawmakers have faced growing pressure to address sports betting integrity and online platforms that blur the line between legal and prohibited gambling. The recent arrest of NBA player Terry Rozier as part of a federal sports betting investigation added urgency to those discussions, reinforcing concerns about match-fixing and insider betting.
HB 189 and HB 591 are designed to tackle those issues from different angles, combining criminal penalties, clearer definitions, and expanded enforcement regulations.
HB 189 focuses on integrity, fantasy sports, and illegal machines
House Bill 189 is the broader of the two proposals, running close to 100 pages and billed as a comprehensive update of Florida’s gambling statutes. One of its core goals is to strengthen sports betting integrity by creating new felony offences tied to fixed events and bribery.
Under the bill, it would become a felony not only to bribe someone to influence a sporting outcome, but also to accept such a bribe or place a wager with knowledge that a contest has been manipulated. Lawmakers backing the bill argue that existing laws do not adequately cover modern betting risks, particularly as wagering becomes more data-driven and accessible.
The bill also attempts to resolve Florida’s long-running ambiguity around daily fantasy sports. Fantasy contests have operated in a grey zone for years, neither explicitly authorised nor banned. HB 189 would define fantasy sports as paid contests involving simulated teams, prohibit outcomes based on individual player performance, and bar contests involving college athletes.
This bill has already been used by the Florida Attorney General in 2024, when several fantasy-style operators were ordered to stop offering prop-based games that resembled traditional sports betting.
In addition, HB 189 proposes tougher penalties for illegal slot machines, elevating some offences beyond misdemeanours. The Florida Gaming Control Commission has repeatedly told lawmakers that current sanctions are treated as a cost of doing business by illegal operators, limiting the number of new operators that continue to flood the market.
HB 591 targets non-tribal online gambling more directly
While HB 189 focuses on definitions and integrity, House Bill 591 takes a more direct approach to online and casino-style gambling outside the Seminole compact.
Introduced by Rep. Berny Jacques, the bill would define internet gambling broadly, covering games where something of value is awarded based on chance and that simulate casino-style products such as slots, video poker, or table games. Operators engaging in those activities could face felony charges, with additional penalties for employees and repeat offenders.
The proposal would also centralise enforcement at the state level, preventing local governments from authorising gambling activity that conflicts with state law. Supporters argue that inconsistent local decisions have allowed illegal operations to proliferate and fly under the radar.
Although the bill does not explicitly mention sweepstakes casinos, its broad definitions have drawn concern from companies offering promotional or “social” gaming products. Industry groups representing sweepstakes operators argue that their models comply with existing consumer and banking laws and should not be treated as illegal gambling. Lawmakers backing HB 591 counter that the bill is intended to close loopholes used by products that mimic casino play without regulatory oversight.
Seminole exclusivity shapes Florida’s enforcement strategy
Both bills operate against the backdrop of Florida’s gaming compact with the Seminole Tribe, which grants the tribe exclusivity over sports betting and Las Vegas-style casino gaming in the state. The Seminoles have been vocal in their opposition to illegal gambling, arguing that unlicensed arcades, offshore sportsbooks, and sweepstakes-style platforms undermine a regulated system that pays taxes and is subject to regulatory oversight.
Seminole Gaming executives have publicly warned consumers about illegal machines and unregulated sites, describing them as unfair, unsafe, and often rigged. While the tribe does not formally comment on pending legislation, its interests align closely with efforts to remove competing products operating outside the regulated market.
A coordinated crackdown without market expansion
Individually, HB 189 and HB 591 address different problems. Together, they form a coordinated enforcement strategy that reflects Florida’s broader approach to gambling: limited legal access, strict definitions, and strong penalties for activity outside approved channels.
Neither bill expands commercial gambling, and neither opens the door to new non-tribal operators. Instead, lawmakers appear focused on consolidation and control, using criminal law, regulatory oversight, and stricter enforcement to focus the market rather than grow it.
Both measures are expected to face further debate when the legislative session begins, particularly around how broadly online gambling should be defined and how enforcement will affect niche products in the market. What is already clear is that Florida is preparing to draw firmer lines around who can offer gambling in the state, and on what terms.
If passed, the two-bill package would mark one of the most assertive moves yet to push non-tribal gambling out of Florida’s market, reinforcing exclusivity while raising the legal and financial risks for operators that continue to test the boundaries.
References:
- Florida House of Representatives – HB 189 legislative text and bill history (sports betting integrity, fantasy sports, illegal machines) – https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Bills/billsdetail.aspx
- Florida House of Representatives – HB 591 legislative text and bill history (internet gambling and casino-style games) – https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Bills/billsdetail.aspx
- Florida Gaming Control Commission – Enforcement warnings and testimony on illegal gaming machines – https://fgcc.fl.gov/Content/What-We-Do/Enforcement.aspx
- Seminole Tribe of Florida – Gaming compact overview and exclusivity framework – https://www.myflorida.com/compact
