Florida Gambling Latest: Legal Entropy, Fraud Warnings, Police Busts
- Mateo
- Aug 1
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 2
State legislators appear to be leaving the future of online gambling up in the air for millions of Floridians.
Although crypto casinos are not licensed or approved by the state, many Floridians get around the restrictions by playing at some of the top ranked casinos with no registration online. These platforms tend to offer bigger payouts and wider gaming selection from which to choose from.
If online gambling were to get Tallahassee approval, it could generate millions or even billions of dollars in revenue.
Earlier this year, a couple of proposals started to make their way through the state’s legislature.
Bill HB593 was intended to not only properly legalise online betting and casinos, but also to give control of them to the Seminole Tribe of Florida.
The Seminoles currently run six of Florida’s casinos, which are situated in Okeechobee, Immokalee, Tampa, Coconut Creek, and two in Hollywood.
The tribe also ran the Seminole Casino Big Cypress near Clewiston, which closed earlier this decade.
However, the bill ran into trouble and died in committee last month.
A similar fate befell Bill S1404. This piece of legislation would have clarified what members of the state’s Gaming Control Commission could and could not do during their time in office, as well as establishing guidelines for the recruitment of commission members.
The bill would also have, potentially, paved the way for Seminole management of online gambling in the state.
Again, though, it failed to gain traction and died last month, awaiting a reference review.
With online gambling still something of a grey area for Floridians, one of the state’s physical casinos is urging people not to be fooled by fraudulent online adverts.
Ads are popping up across the internet claiming to be from the Miccosukee Casino & Resort in Miami.
They say that people can gamble online with the casino, which is owned and run by the Miccosukee tribe, but this is not the case.
In a statement, Brad Rhines, the Casino’s general manager, said: “These fake advertisements are misleading and potentially harmful to consumers.
“Protecting the integrity of our brand and the trust of our guests is a top priority. We want to be clear — Miccosukee Casino & Resort does not operate any online gambling platforms.”
Meanwhile, the state’s authorities are cracking down on illegal gambling activities.
In Lady Lake, near Orlando, the Il Villagio senior entertainment center has been shut down following a police raid.
Law enforcement authorities carried out a bust earlier this month, seizing 190 slot machines and confiscating $349,000 in cash.
The facility’s owner, Rima Rey, has been arrested on suspicion of money laundering and keeping a gambling house.
Similarly, a raid on the Orioles bar in Okeechobee saw six slot machines seized as part of a months-long investigation.
The local Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office’s Narcotics Task Force and the Florida Gaming Control Commission (FGCC) carried out the bust.
The sheriff’s office claimed that the bar’s Facebook page showed evidence of patrons not only taking part in unlawful games, but also cashing in their winnings with vouchers.
This month’s anti-illegal gambling raids come after similar operations in May.
During that month, officers from across Florida seized more than 100 illegal and unlicensed slot machines from bars and gas stations in Okeechobee, DeLand, Dade City, and Daytona Beach.
One bust, in Dolly’s Old Town Tavern in DeLand, saw 14 slot machines and $8,000 seized, while another, at Play For Keeps, Dade City, led to 24 machines and $35,000 in cash taken by law enforcement officers.
In a statement, FGCC acting executive director Ross Marshman said: “The Commission is proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with our law enforcement partners as we collaboratively tackle illegal gaming throughout our state.”