The action comes after an enforcement update issued on June 10. The Attorney General’s Office reported 11 arrests, 479 illegal gaming machines seized, and $294,150 in alleged illicit proceeds recovered.
Payment Firms Face New Pressure
The office of Uthmeier has warned several credit card companies that processing payments for online gambling sites could face scrutiny under Florida law, including the state’s RICO Act. The attorney general named three main card providers: Visa, Mastercard, and American Express. According to Uthmeier, these companies need to stop processing payments from offshore or foreign-owned illegal online gambling operators.
The office of the Attorney General also sent a specific letter to Visa with the request to clarify the steps it has taken to correct the situation. This letter mentioned such offshore companies as SportsBetting, BetNow, BetOnline, Lucky Rebel, BetUS, XBet, and Bovada. Florida authorities argued that these platforms operate outside the state’s regulated gambling framework while still targeting local customers.
The state’s position is that payment networks are not merely passive intermediaries when they process transactions for operators that Florida considers illegal. The focus on card networks is an attempt by the Attorney General’s Office to cut off the element that makes offshore betting accessible to residents.
Enforcement Expands Beyond Gambling Rooms
Along with the payment push, Florida authorities conducted a physical operation in Southwest Florida targeting illegal gaming businesses. This several-day-long operation involved the Florida Gaming Control Commission, the Office of Statewide Prosecution, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
According to the authorities, the operation resulted in the seizure of hundreds of unauthorized gaming machines. Since the beginning of 2026, Florida authorities have reported seizing 3,114 illegal machines, recovering $1.7 million, and arresting 81 individuals linked to unlawful gambling operations.
Florida authorities have tied the increased enforcement efforts to protecting consumers and to Florida’s compact with the Seminole tribe. At present, Hard Rock Bet remains the only approved online sportsbook in Florida. Offshore operators remain outside the state’s legal framework.
Why Payment Processing Matters
Illegal gambling crackdowns usually target operators, applications, websites, or even physical gambling venues. However, the latest move from Florida highlights a broader strategy, where the companies that help money move in and out of unlicensed platforms are put under pressure.
Online gambling operations usually depend on deposit and withdrawal services that allow them to serve users located in regulated or restricted jurisdictions. When major payment networks block such transactions, access to unauthorized platforms becomes much harder, even before direct action is taken against the websites.
The campaign reinforces Florida’s controlled gambling model. For payment processing companies, it raises practical issues. Payment processors have to recognize and block transactions tied to operators the state considers illegal.
What Happens Next
Visa is expected to provide its response by June 24 with information regarding any corrective measures taken. Uthmeier warned that processing of illegal gambling transactions may be met with further legal proceedings.
The case now puts payment compliance at the centre of Florida’s gambling enforcement strategy. Instead of limiting action to illegal machines or offshore operators, the state is testing whether financial intermediaries can be held responsible when they help those businesses reach Florida residents.
