Cracking Down on Illegal Gambling in Florida Will Be a Focus of 2026 Legislative Session
Posted on: December 4, 2025, 03:34h.
Last updated on: December 4, 2025, 03:34h.
- Lawmakers in Florida will consider increasing illegal gambling penalties in 2026
- Illegal gambling arcades continue to cloud the Sunshine State’s legal gaming industry
The days of illegal gambling “arcades” in Florida littering retail shopping complexes across the Sunshine State could be numbered, as the odds appear good that a statewide crackdown is imminent.
From the state attorney general to the mightily powerful Seminole Tribe, there have been many calls of late for the Florida Legislature to strengthen the state’s lax penalties for violating gambling laws. The lawmaking body is to convene Jan. 13, with the session running for two months until March 13.
Several bills targeting illegal gambling have been pre-filed. The latest, House Bill 591, introduced on Tuesday by House Rep. Berny Jacques (R-Pinellas), enhances penalties for various illegal gambling practices and streamlines the enforcement of gaming operations across all jurisdictions to prevent local authorities from authorizing legislation uncompliant with state law.
Excessive gambling is a scourge on our society, and illegal gaming only contributes to that issue,” said Jacques. “This bill cracks down on the problem.”
Along with unregulated “arcades” that house illegal gambling slot machines, Florida continues to be targeted by offshore sportsbooks that claim to offer better odds than the state’s lone licensed sportsbook, Hard Rock Bet. Controversial online sweepstakes casinos also continue to aggressively market their operations in Florida.
Slaps on the Wrist
Jacques says his bill is designed to protect consumers from rigged gaming machines and prevent criminal enterprises from exploiting regulatory loopholes. HB591 follows Sen. Jennifer Bradley (R-Union) and Rep. Dana Trabulsy (R-St. Lucie) pre-filing bills in their respective chambers that also seek to increase penalties for facilitating illegal gambling.
In Florida, slot machines are limited to the Seminole’s six brick-and-mortar casinos and racinos within Miami-Dade and Broward counties. Bingo-based electronic gaming machines are also legal at the Miccosukee Casino & Resort in Miami and the tribe’s Little Trail Casino in the Everglades.
Despite the slot law, drive up and down I-75, I-95, or across I-10, or any other major highway in Florida, and the chances are good that you can find an illegal gambling business masquerading as an arcade at any exit. Law enforcement and the Florida Gaming Control Commission (FGCC) say operators of the illegal gambling enterprises aren’t deterred by current penalties, which typically call for only misdemeanor charges.
“It’s time to ensure that the consequences for this illicit behavior correspond with the dangers it brings into our communities,” Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said last month in calling on the legislature to act.
On Tuesday, the FGCC destroyed 147 illegal slot terminals seized in Brevard County by running them over with a bulldozer.
Seminole Lobbying Clout
Aside from perhaps Disney, few organizations have as much power in Tallahassee as the Seminoles. The tribe has had enough of the ongoing illegal gambling problem, which cuts into the Seminole and Hard Rock casinos’ businesses.
In September, Seminole Gaming COO David Hoenemeyer warned the public about illegal arcades.
You may have seen news reports about the proliferation of gaming arcades that have popped up in many parts of Florida. They are all unlawful gambling operations, and they are a threat to everyone, not just the unsuspecting customers whom they attract,” Hoenemeyer wrote.
“These facilities are illegal and unregulated. They don’t pay taxes, and they prey on people who are unaware of their very real dangers. Numerous investigations have shown they often refuse to pay out of jackpots to hapless customers. Many don’t even program their slot machines to deliver fair returns,” the Seminole executive added.
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