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State of Play’s TL;DR
- Gaming interests gave at least $12.2 million to Florida statewide candidates or committees in the 2026 election cycle through July.
- Three out of every four dollars came from the Seminole Tribe.
Florida Trend is citing campaign finance reports that show gaming-related interests had contributed at least $12.2 million by July.
The largest share came from the Seminole Tribe of Florida, which operates the Hard Rock Casino brand and holds a dominant position in Florida gambling.
The roundup also said newer tech and finance companies are entering the Florida gambling market, adding to the mix of interests trying to influence statewide politics.
What the report does and does not detail
Florida’s gambling landscape is unusually concentrated because the Seminole Tribe controls much of the state’s legal gambling ecosystem, including online sports betting. That gives political spending by gaming interests added significance for operators, regulators, and companies watching any future shift in market access.
Florida Trend’s report did not break out which statewide candidates or committees received the money, and it did not specify how much came from each non-Seminole gaming interest. It also did not identify the fledgling tech and finance companies it said are moving into the market.
According to Gambling Insider, however, the Seminoles donated roughly $9 million. That included $4 million to Republican gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds.
Other major gaming-related contributions listed by Gambling Insider include $581,000 from FanDuel through July, with nearly all of it going to Donalds’ political committee; $525,000 from DK Crown Holdings, DraftKings’ parent company; $245,000 from Caesars; and $250,000 from the Sports Betting Alliance, all to Donalds.
Based on reporting by Florida Trend.
