If it looks like a slot, sounds like a slot, and smells like a slot, it’s probably Hard Rock’s new sports betting product. The operator has just rolled out a new kind of gambling experience in Florida that’s surprised a few punters. The product, simply called “Games,” comes complete with reels, symbols, and spin animations. So why is it considered sports betting?

The reasoning comes from the fact that every spin connects to the outcome of historical stock car races instead of a random number generator. The app’s FAQ explains that when a player places a wager, they’re actually betting on archived race results. If the racers tied to your selection historically finished in winning positions, you win.

 

How the historical race engine works

Much like the historical horse racing (HHR) machines used in Kentucky and Virginia, each wager links to archived race outcomes. The HHR terminals let players bet on horse races that have already taken place, revealed only after the result is shown. Hard Rock’s Games use the same principle, just swapping horses for stock cars.

Players can even check the data behind each spin by clicking “Enter Race View,” which shows the event date, the results, and who actually won. That level of transparency separates the product from regular slot machines, where random number generation stays hidden.

While the interface feels like a slot, Hard Rock argues that the data source makes it a form of sports betting under Florida law.

 

What does the law say?

Hard Rock Bet’s legal argument rests on Florida’s 2021 gaming agreement between the Seminole Tribe and the state, which allows “wagering on past sporting events.” By linking each spin to verified historical races, the company avoids using random number generation, a key factor in how U.S. regulators define casino gaming.

Each wager starts at one dollar, matching the sportsbook’s minimum stake, and payouts depend on the odds the player’s selections would have carried at the time.

Legal experts note that the approach technically fits within the rules, though it sits very close to casino territory. John Holden, a gambling law professor at Oklahoma State University, told SBC Americas earlier this year that “historical racing machines have long demonstrated how operators can reproduce casino-like interfaces while remaining within sports wagering statutes.”

Florida’s cautious stance and ongoing legal wrangles continue to shape how Hard Rock Digital interprets that agreement and tests the boundaries of what qualifies as sports betting.

 

Testing the limits

Florida remains one of the few major states without legal online casinos, even as illegal operators now account for 74% of the U.S. online gambling market, according to research highlighting the scale of unregulated play nationwide. Hard Rock Digital relaunched its sports betting platform in late 2023 after drawn-out court battles with DraftKings and FanDuel-backed rivals over the Seminole agreement’s exclusivity clause.

By introducing Games, Hard Rock is quietly testing the limits of that agreement without crossing into full casino operations. Publicly, the company insists that this is not casino content but to most players, the difference feels pretty slim.

Elsewhere in the U.S., similar historical racing machines have caused plenty of debate. Regulators in Kentucky and Virginia define HHR as pari-mutuel wagering, while Idaho and Nebraska have rejected them as casino devices. The Minnesota Indian Gaming Authority have outright stated that “Historical Horse Racing (HHR) machines are essentially slot machines.”

However, the vague wording around “wagering on past sporting events” in Florida’s agreement does give regulators some flexibility, even if it leaves the door open for future legal questions about whether digital historical racing counts as casino gaming.

 

Blurring genres for brand differentiation

Hard Rock seems to be positioning Games as a middle ground between sports betting and online casino play. In a crowded U.S. market where everyone is fighting for attention, offering a slot-style experience under a sports betting license could give the brand a commercial edge.

From a product perspective, it also reflects the wider merge between sports, data, and entertainment. For Hard Rock Digital, the real gamble might not be on old stock car races, but on whether regulators and players accept that this really qualifies as sports betting.

 

 

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