The Florida Gaming Control Commission on Monday demanded that three overseas bookmakers and casinos accessible to Florida residents and visitors halt their illegal online gambling operations in the state.
FCCG sent cease-and-desist letters to the parent companies of BetUS( Milvus Ltc), Bovada (Harp Media B.V.) and MyBookie (Gaming Services Provider, N.V.).
The FGCC stated in a release that the websites operated by these overseas bookmakers and casinos only offer illegal wagers.
From the cease-and-desist letter:
The gambling websites offered by your overseas bookmaking and casino operation] offers or accepts wagering on sports and horse races, including betting on point spreads, moneylines, and totals, as well as proposition bets and futures in the sportsbook and adding money to bet slips in the racebook. Under Florida law, this conduct is a felony offense. See § 849.14, Fla. Stat. Further, it is a felony offense to receive illegal wagers on the result of any trial or contest of skill, speed or power or endurance of human or beast, or to aid, assist, or abet such illegal wagering.
“Gaming, both land-based and online, is strictly regulated in Florida,” said Florida Gaming Control Commission Executive Director Ross Marshman in a statement. “For example, when it comes to slot machine gaming, counting the eight legal, state-licensed slot machine businesses, and the six tribal gaming locations currently operated by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, there are only 14 legal slot machine businesses in Florida. The only online sportsbook operating lawfully in Florida is the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Hard Rock Bet. Anyone in Florida betting on the Big Game needs to know this. Bettor beware.”
The release also said illegal gambling operations offer no benefits to Floridians. Tax revenue from state-licensed slot machine businesses and revenue-sharing payments from the Seminole Tribe of Florida are used to pay for state programs. In 2024, the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund of Florida received more than $240 million in tax revenue from the eight state-licensed slot machine businesses. It is estimated that Florida will receive no less than $2.5 billion from the Seminole Tribe of Florida during the next five years.
