Posted on: February 25, 2026, 03:08h.
Last updated on: February 25, 2026, 05:10h.
- Responsible gaming experts in Florida say they’re fielding more calls since sports betting restarted
- Hard Rock Bet is the only legal online sports betting platform in Florida
- Unregulated websites and apps continue to target Floridians
The gambling helpline in Florida reports seeing a dramatic increase in the number of calls and texts since online sports betting restarted in December 2023.
According to the latest data from the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling, the number of toll-free intakes to the 888-ADMIT-IT helpline regarding online problems has continually increased since Hard Rock Bet returned a little more than two years ago. The number of prompts regarding online gambling help soared from 589 in 2023, to 1,355 in 2024, and to 1,401 last year.
The 138% increase greatly contrasts a decline in calls for non-online betting problems, which have dropped from 2,583 calls in 2023 to 2,452 calls last year. Of the online gambling calls, almost three in four cite sports betting as their primary issue.
While the helpline calls are predominantly from men, the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling highlights that the number of female sports bettors seeking help has increased more than tenfold since 2023.
Big Losses
The Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling suggests that many Floridians are losing their shirts gambling online.
Of those who called 888-ADMIT-IT referencing online sports betting, 13% report losing more than $200,000. Twenty-three percent report losing between $50,000 and $200,000. The average debt of an online sports bettor seeking help is almost $21,800.
Of course, Hard Rock Bet isn’t the only one to blame. The emergence of online prediction markets, which critics say are facilitating online gambling under the guise of financial instruments and now offer sports event contracts, has further mainstreamed internet betting. DeSantis this week raised concerns about whether one such prediction market, Kalshi, is encroaching on the Seminoles’ sports gambling rights.
Unregulated sweepstakes casinos, which use a dual-currency arrangement to circumvent online gambling laws, have also preyed on Floridians. Then there are the numerous offshore, illegal gambling websites that make their platforms accessible.
Hard Rock Bet says it’s doing its part to curb problem gambling, offering numerous responsible gaming tools on the app, from deposit and time limits to cooling-off periods and self-exclusion. Hard Rock is additionally the largest contributor to the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling.
Florida Online Sports Betting Backstory
In May 2021, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and the Seminole Tribe reworked the Hard Rock owner’s Class III gaming compact to include the exclusive rights to retail and online sports betting. The privilege, which, in addition to sports, included rights to craps and roulette, came in exchange for a mandatory state payment of at least $2.5 billion over five years.
A legal challenge from two Florida racinos contesting whether the hub-and-spoke online sports betting model constituted tribal gaming halted Hard Rock Bet just weeks after it went live in November 2021. Florida and federal courts, in cases that reached both the Florida Supreme Court and the US Supreme Court, ultimately ruled in Florida’s and the Seminole’s favor.
