Americans are expected to wager an estimated $30 billion on the upcoming 2025 NFL season through legal U.S. sportsbooks, according to American Gaming Association (AGA) estimates. This represents an 8.5% increase over last season’s revised estimated handle of $27.6 billion.

“This season, fans have more ways than ever to responsibly engage with the game they love. Legal sports betting enhances the fun and friendly competition that make NFL games and traditions even more special. With strong consumer protections and a shared commitment to responsibility, the legal, regulated sports betting industry encourages all footballs fans to have a game plan before placing a bet and ensure their gameday experience – regardless of the outcome of a bet or the game – remains enjoyable,” said AGA President and CEO Bill Miller.

As fans prepare for another season of NFL action, the AGA is reminding bettors to “Have A Game Plan. Bet Responsibly.” The national campaign remains central to encouraging responsible sports betting and promotes five key principles:

• Set a Budget and Stick to It: Determine how much you are willing to spend and never chase losses.

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• Keep it Social: Betting should be a form of entertainment shared with friends and family.

• Know the Odds: Understand the games and your chances of winning.

• Play Legally: Use regulated, legal betting platforms.

• Keep Your Cool: Athlete harassment is never acceptable and good sportsmanship is for everyone.

Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn PASPA in 2018, 38 states and Washington, D.C. now offer consumers safe and regulated options to engage with their favorite sports. Americans’ support for legal sports betting remains strong, with 75% of Americans supporting legal sports wagering in their home state, and 90% viewing sports betting as an acceptable form of entertainment.

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Florida’s gambling picture is shifting again. Court battles over the Seminole Tribe’s compact continue, and legislators are hearing more calls to consider broader online betting.

Even with sports betting tied up in appeals, residents are finding workarounds. Offshore websites still advertise directly to Floridians. Many of them promote speed over safety, boasting that they allow withdrawals with no ID. Regulators say that may sound attractive, but it sidesteps the verification checks required by licensed U.S. operators.

The Seminole Tribe runs the state’s biggest casinos and its Hard Rock brand. Their 2021 compact with the state included online sports betting. That deal faced lawsuits almost immediately, slowing any momentum for a wider rollout. Yet the appetite hasn’t gone away.

People here talk about what’s happening in other states. New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan—they’ve all seen billions wagered online. Tax money follows. Advocates in Florida argue the state is leaving money on the table.

Opponents tell a different story. They warn about access on every phone and the risks that come with it. “Once it’s in an app, you can’t put the genie back in the bottle,” said a Jacksonville-area pastor who has lobbied against expansion. Addiction specialists add that enforcement is more rigid when offshore platforms are already targeting residents.

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Tourism officials keep an eye on the numbers, too. Florida casinos, especially in Tampa and South Florida, drive hotel bookings and restaurant traffic. A full online market could change that balance. Some business leaders like the idea of keeping players at home. Others say brick-and-mortar casinos fuel jobs that digital sites will never replace.

For lawmakers in Tallahassee, it’s a tricky call. The Seminole compact brings in revenue through a revenue-sharing deal. Expanding online casinos could mean more money, but also more legal fights with tribes who guard their exclusivity. That divide was one reason ballot measures in 2022 failed, after record spending on both sides.

Residents are split as well. A Miami resident outside a Hard Rock property said this week he enjoys visiting in person. “I wouldn’t mind having it on my phone, but I like the atmosphere here. It’s not the same on a screen.”

Meanwhile, the unregulated market keeps growing. Analysts with the American Gaming Association estimate billions of dollars flow to illegal sites each year nationwide. Florida’s share is significant. Enforcement is difficult, and warnings do little to stop players who want speed, privacy, and access.

The state’s size makes it a prime target. With more than 22 million people, Florida could become one of the largest online casino markets in the country if the law ever changes. For now, the lines hold. The Seminole Tribe runs its venues. Offshore operators keep pushing ads. And residents wait to see if lawmakers will take the next step.

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Source: floridadaily.com

As gaming regulators, state Attorneys General, and state legislatures continue to scrutinize the business practices of online “sweepstakes” casinos, new research shows that consumers overwhelmingly use these platforms to gamble – and that sweepstakes operators are heavily targeting players in key states. By exploiting loopholes in the law, these operations undermine the integrity of the legal, regulated gaming marketplace.

According to Sensor Tower data compiled by the American Gaming Association (AGA), half of all online, real-money casino advertisements seen by consumers in early 2025 promoted offshore “sweepstakes” casinos. The data shows these unregulated operators concentrate their advertising in populous states.

“These operators present themselves like legal, regulated platforms – but they operate outside the law and regulation. There are few if any responsible gaming tools, no regulatory oversight, and no consumer protections. It’s a dangerous subterfuge that puts players at real risk,” said AGA Vice President of Government Relations, Tres York.

Despite operating outside the regulated gaming market, “sweepstakes” casinos are widely perceived by players as gambling platforms, with 68% of users saying their primary reason for playing is to win real money. This confusion is no accident – many of these sites mimic the look, feel, and language of legal operators, blurring the line for consumers and reinforcing the need for clearer enforcement and public education.

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Key findings include:

• 90% of sweepstakes casino users consider the activity to be gambling.

• 69% describe sweepstakes casinos as places to wager real money.

• 80% of sweepstakes players spend monthly, and nearly half spend weekly, without the safety nets offered by regulated operators.

The number of monthly sweepstakes casino players is twice as high in states lacking sweepstakes prohibitions.

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“Sweepstakes” casinos aggressively market on popular digital platforms throughout the country. Legal, regulated gaming operators, by contrast, advertise responsibly in legal states where consumer protections and regulatory oversight are in place.

“The data is clear. Consumers see right through the ‘sweepstakes’ casino facade and they’re calling it what it is: gambling. We look forward to policymakers continuing to enforce their laws and create clarity through new policy measures to protect their residents,” added York.