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Adam Roarty is a journalist covering sports betting, regulation, and industry innovation for CasinoBeats. His coverage includes tax increases in the UK, covering breaking stories in the ever-evolving landscape of US betting such as the...
Read Full BioLawmakers in Florida have voted in favor of a wide-reaching anti-gambling bill that aims to clamp down on unregulated wagering in the state, including sweepstakes casinos.
On Tuesday, the House Commerce Committee approved HB189 in a 19-5 vote, with two abstentions. Previously, two House subcommittees passed the bill in January and November. The legislation will now move to a full vote in the House and, if passed there, will proceed to the Senate for consideration.
The bill was amended in November to define “Internet gambling” as: “any game in which money or other thing of value is awarded based on chance… that is available on the Internet and accessible on a mobile device… and simulates casino-style gaming, including, but not limited to, slot machines, video poker, and table games.”
Operators & Users Could Face Penalties
Under the bill’s terms, both users of illegal gambling platforms, including sweepstakes casinos, and operators could face penalties. For users, engaging in illegal internet gambling would constitute a misdemeanor of the second degree. Repeated offenses would be classified as first-degree misdemeanors.
For first offenses, this could be punished by up to 60 days in jail and/or a fine of up to $500. Repeated offenses could lead to illegal gamblers facing prison sentences of up to one year, and fines of up to $1,000.
Operators would face heavier penalties. The bill states, “A person who operates, conducts, or promotes illegal gambling, Internet gambling, or Internet sports wagering… commits a felony of the third degree.”
Under Florida law, this could lead to fines of up to $5,000 and prison sentences of up to five years.
Gaming Parlors Also Targeted
In addition to targeting illegal online gambling, the bill also proposes stricter rules around gaming parlors in the state. It requires the Florida Gaming Control Commission (FGCC) to review new locations and impose felony charges on operators running illegal machine rooms.
Last year, the FGCC seized almost $15 million in funds generated from illegal gambling, more than double the $7 million seized in 2024. The regulator also confiscated 6,725 illegal slot machines from game centers.
If the new legislation passes, it would give the Commission increased authority to continue its crackdown on gambling occurring outside the Seminole Tribe’s exclusive compact.
Seminole Tribe & DFS Can Continue
The Seminole Tribe has exclusive rights to casino gaming and sports betting in Florida. Under the legislation’s terms, this would continue. The bill’s text states that the penalties outlined above do not apply to gaming compacts.
It also excludes DFS contests from the definition of “Internet sports wagering.” The state ordered companies to stop offering against-the-house games, such as Pick ‘Em contests. As a result, most operators only offer peer-to-peer contests to comply with state regulations.
Against-the-house DFS faced further legal scrutiny last year, with California announcing it constituted illegal gambling. PrizePicks announced it would end the games altogether in the wake of California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s opinion.
A similar anti-gambling bill also advanced in the Senate. Lawmakers in the Senate Regulated Industries Committee voted 9-0 in favor of advancing SB1580. The legislation will now move to the Commerce Committee.
