The chairman of Hard Rock has opened the door to relationships with commercial sportsbooks, which might mean big changes for the sports betting scene in Florida.

Hard Rock has the only right to sports bet in the state after defeating FanDuel, DraftKings, and Penn Entertainment, all of which are owned by Flutter, in a fierce struggle for the exclusive tribal gaming agreement. In 2021, the sportsbooks made a significant attempt, but ultimately failed, to get sports betting legalised in the state.

CEO Jim Allen of Seminole Gaming and Chairman of Hard Rock International indicated he's open to revisiting the Florida market in response to remarks made by FanDuel CEO Amy Howe.

"We've actually developed a great relationship with them, whether it's FanDuel or DraftKings," he said in a CNBC interview conducted at the Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas.

Howe stated she is concentrating on three important mega states: California, Florida, and New York, during Flutter's investor day two weeks ago.

For years, operators have had their sights set on the Sunshine State. According to the American Gaming Association, the state with the highest income from sports betting is Florida, which has a larger population than New York. Additionally, the state is home to over 20 professional and Division 1 college sports teams.

Launching sports betting and expanding the casino table games across six Seminole Casinos in Florida in December, Seminole Hard Rock opened what it dubbed "a new chapter in Florida gaming."

(Sources: cnbc.com)