TLDR Gambling and prediction market companies have donated more than $12 million to Florida political campaigns ahead of the 2026 election. The Seminole Tribe gave about $9 million, including $4 million to governor candidate Byron Donalds. FanDuel, DraftKings, Caesars, PrizePicks and Underdog donated despite being shut out of Florida’s regulated sports betting market. Prediction market companies Kalshi and Robinhood gave hundreds of thousands of dollars, mostly to Donalds. Susquehanna co-founder Jeff Yass gave $11 million combined to Donalds and a political committee supporting him.
Gambling and gaming companies have given more than $12 million to Florida political campaigns ahead of the 2026 election. The money is going to candidates and committees before the main election contests even begin.
Campaign finance records show most of the funding came from the Seminole Tribe. The tribe gave about $9 million in total.
The Seminole Tribe owns Hard Rock International. It also holds the only rights to run online sports betting in Florida under a 2021 gaming agreement.
That agreement treats mobile sports bets placed anywhere in Florida as if they happened on tribal land. This gives the tribe full control over the state’s legal online sports betting market through Hard Rock Bet.
Byron Donalds, the leading Republican candidate for governor, received the largest share of industry donations. He has taken in more than $6 million from gambling related groups.
The Seminole Tribe alone gave Donalds $4 million. Other Republican campaigns also received tribal money, including Wilton Simpson’s committee and Senate leader Jim Boyd’s committee.
Sportsbooks and Prediction Markets Both Donate
FanDuel gave $581,000 through July, with nearly all of it going to Donalds. DraftKings’ parent company, DK Crown Holdings, gave about $525,000, also mostly to his campaign.
Caesars Entertainment contributed $245,000. The Sports Betting Alliance, which represents DraftKings, FanDuel, Fanatics,