Hard Rock International Hints at Potential Partnerships with DraftKings and FanDuel
Hard Rock International, which has a monopoly on sports betting in Florida, is open to working with industry giants DraftKings and FanDuel. That’s according to Jim Allen, chairman of Hard Rock International and CEO of Seminole Gaming, at the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) in Las Vegas.

Strategic Partnerships
Talking to CNBC’s Contessa Brewer, Allen mentioned potential long term benefits of working with established sports betting companies like DraftKings and FanDuel.
He didn’t go into details but said he’s been talking to the leadership of both companies. He’s open to partnerships that would be good for Hard Rock, DraftKings and FanDuel.
Big news since Hard Rock has a monopoly on sports betting in Florida. After a long legal battle the Seminole Tribe, which owns Hard Rock, got exclusive rights to sports betting in the state.
The tribe’s agreement was upheld by the Florida Supreme Court and supported by Governor Ron DeSantis.
That blocked other operators from entering the Florida market, despite DraftKings and FanDuel’s earlier interest.
DraftKings and FanDuel still interested in Florida
Despite being blocked from the Florida sports betting market, DraftKings and FanDuel haven’t given up on the state.
FanDuel CEO Amy Howe said the company is watching Florida, as well as other key states like California and Texas.
Florida is a big target for sports betting operators because it’s the third largest state in the US.
Hard Rock has a strong presence in Florida’s sports betting market but Allen noted the Seminole Tribe, as a sovereign entity, doesn’t report its sports betting revenue.
That’s different from other states like New York where sports betting revenue is public.
California lessons
Allen said it’s important to have good relationships with industry players like DraftKings and FanDuel.
He mentioned the mess in California in 2022 when commercial sports betting operators clashed with tribal gaming groups over a ballot measure.
That’s still unresolved and proves you need collaboration not competition in the industry.
As the US sports betting landscape changes, a partnership between Hard Rock and industry leaders like DraftKings and FanDuel could change the competitive landscape in Florida.
Whatever the details of any future deals may be, the possibility of such partnerships is a big shift in the industry’s approach to market expansion and alliances.
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