Florida’s Attorney General says processing payments for unlicensed offshore operators may breach Florida’s RICO Act, and has threatened legal action
Visa, Mastercard and American Express have been sent cease-and-desist letters by Florida’s Attorney General, who says the payment giants are violating state law by providing services to unauthorised gambling operators.
James Uthmeier announced the move in a press conference on 10 June, during which he detailed authorities’ collaborative effort to shut down unlicensed gambling sites.
In a Florida AG’s office press release, he cautioned that payment processors’ facilitation of illegal online gaming may implicate the state Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO Act).
Uthmeier wrote on X that Florida has targeted multiple renowned payment companies, including:
- American Express
- Mastercard
- Visa
“Payment processors such as Visa, Mastercard, and American Express undermine Florida law by facilitating transactions for foreign-owned illegal online gaming,” added Florida’s AG in a post on 10 June. “Today, they’re receiving a cease and desist. My office will take appropriate legal action if these transactions continue.”
Payment processors such as Visa, Mastercard, and American Express undermine Florida law by facilitating transactions for foreign-owned illegal online gaming.
Today, they’re receiving a cease and desist. My office will take appropriate legal action if these transactions continue. pic.twitter.com/Uxvqw4NeYg
— Attorney General James Uthmeier (@AGJamesUthmeier) June 10, 2026
Florida AG says Visa services numerous offshore sportsbooks
Uthmeier posted the letter that his office sent to Visa, which alleges that the company provides payment services to a range of offshore and unlicensed gambling sites.
“Overseas bookmakers and casinos rely on payment networks such as yours to facilitate customer deposits, withdrawals, and other transactions,” reads a portion of the letter sent to Visa. “We have reason to believe your company services multiple illegal online gambling enterprises, including but not limited to SportsBetting, BetNow, BetOnline, Lucky Rebel, BetUS, XBet, and Bovada.
“These unlicensed, offshore gambling operators undermine our state’s regulatory structure, divert revenue away from authorised channels, and harm consumers in Florida. Visa’s continued facilitation of payments for the black-market gambling industry violates Florida law.”
Florida authorities have consistently chased unauthorised gambling sites and shut down illegal physical gambling operations in a bid to protect and maintain the Seminole Tribe’s exclusivity via its state tribal gaming compact. Seminole’s Hard Rock Bet is the only approved online sportsbook in the Sunshine State, where online casino gaming is not legal.
Now, the state is not only going after operators with C&Ds but also the giants of the payments world.
WATCH: Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced cease-and-desist letters have been sent to Visa, Mastercard and American Express over alleged payment processing for illegal offshore gambling sites.@AGJamesUthmeier: "If you're a payment processor and you're helping one… pic.twitter.com/9ZZis8aU0T
— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) June 10, 2026
The letter to Visa demands not only that the company stop providing services to unauthorised online gambling, but also that it explain in writing by June 24 what corrective measures it has taken to end such “illegal” transactions. Uthmeier threatened legal action if the firm does not provide the requested information.
“We’re going to be using a lot of tools and using new ways to shut down these sites,” Uthmeier said during the press conference. “… If you’re a payment processor and you’re helping one of those sites, you are breaking the law. Cease and desist immediately, or we will take any law enforcement action necessary to hold you accountable.”
Florida’s illegal gambling crackdown
Uthmeier announced the payment processor C&Ds as part of a wider update on the state’s bid to stamp out illegal gambling.
Since the beginning of 2026, Uthmeier said his office and the Florida Gaming Control Commission have led a statewide crackdown that has led to 3,114 illegal machines and $1.7m in proceeds being seized, as well as 81 arrests.
This year, as has happened repeatedly in past years, some lawmakers in Florida introduced omnibus bills that include a range of proposed measures aimed at further equipping state authorities to tackle the issue. In 2026, several efforts failed to pass before the end of the Florida legislative session, including bills that would have:
- More explicitly banned any non-Seminole online gambling
- Increased penalties for operating, advertising, or supplying to offshore casinos or sportsbooks
- Created new offenses for illegal gambling advertisements
- Prohibited dual-currency gameplay
