Is Problem Gambling On The Rise In Florida?

Florida sports betting is an interesting case study, if you will. We assume things are gravy and why shouldn’t we?

After all, Florida is one of the most populous states in the country. It’s one of the wealthiest. It’s also full of sports fans — not just for its array of in-state teams, but also from other states (Florida is home to many transplants from elsewhere).

But… the entire industry is a mystery. That’s because the Seminole Tribe has exclusive access to legal betting inside the state. This is because of a compact the tribe has with the state. The sports betting side was signed in 2021 and lasts 40 whole years.

Because of this compact, the Seminoles don’t have to report how many sports bets they’re taking in at physical sportsbooks and its popular sports betting app, Hard Rock Bet. They aren’t obliged to reveal it like other states that regulate it themselves and have to report where tax dollars go.

Every once in a while, we get an external report on the state of Florida betting, some breadcrumbs, let’s call it. That’s what we have again, though, it’s not on revenues or anything like that. It’s a potential problem with gambling in Florida, which may be brewing. Keep reading and we’ll explain!

Helpline Calls On The Up And Up

The headline says what it says: more and more calls are coming to Florida’s gambling helpline. This is increasing from 2023, when the state first got into the legalized industry for sports.

According to the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling, calls tied to online sports wagering have more than doubled. In 2025 alone, more than 2,400 Floridians reached out for help. Of those, roughly 1,400 were calling specifically about online gambling. That’s now the No. 1 reason people are picking up the phone.

That’s actually a new development. Before this, slot machines and other electronic gaming were the No. 1 issue hotlines had to deal with. Not anymore. In fact, 73 percent of online gamblers who contacted the helpline said sports betting was their main issue.

The demographics are changing, too. Callers are skewing younger. The number of people under 21 reaching out has jumped since legalization. Nearly two-thirds of the sports betting callers were 30 or younger. The vast majority were male, and about half identified as white.

And these overwhelming young fellas aren’t calling over small losses either. More than half of callers cited financial distress — overspending, chasing losses, or a recent blow-up. Almost half reported losing more than $25,000. Nearly one in four said they’d lost over $100,000. Yikes!

Hard Rock Acknowledges The Issue

So what does Hard Rock say about the issue of problem gambling? Well, like all other sports betting apps, they acknowledge it’s a problem, but point out how they’re taking measures to handle it.

A spokesperson pointed out that the app includes built-in tools that let users set deposit limits, cap their wagers, or even time themselves out if they’re spending too long in one session. Players can also self-exclude entirely if they feel things are getting out of hand. These features are quite commonplace across the marketplace. Caesars, DraftKings, FanDuel — they all have the same tools.

Question is, is that enough? When a player is tilting and making bad decisions, it’s usually because they’ve lost control and discipline. To assume they have the ability to then use these features to self-report themselves, yeah, that’s just wishful thinking.

The company also emphasized that the Seminole Tribe has made “significant financial contributions” toward Florida’s gambling helpline and addiction treatment programs. Again, this is the norm, though. In states that’ve legalized sports betting (39 now), there are built-in provisions to use betting revenue to support proven gambling services.

We say all this not to beat up on Hard Rock, but let’s just not pretend they’re going the extra mile to curb this stuff. Then again, that’s better than doing nothing. That’s the predicament prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket are in. They’re allowed in Florida due to federal laws, but do little to help the state like Hard Rock.

Betting Under A Microscope Nationwide

Florida is far from the only state that’s seeing increased calls for help. Here again, it’s become normalized from state to state.

And no one should be surprised. Sports betting has blown up across the country, and there was always going to be some negative consequences (betting is addictive, always has been and always will be). But the heat is being put on operators do something about it. Anything.

Due to this, we saw both DraftKings and FanDuel recently come out that they’d stop accepting credit cards for betting. You can see how that could be harmful to an addict — using credit to bet with money they don’t really have.

No word yet on whether Hard Rock Bet will adopt a similar rule. Remember, they are NOT just in Florida. Hard Rock also offers its services in several other states. If this too becomes the norm, then Hard Rock might be guilted into following suit.