Photo courtesy of bronctattoous.com

By David L. Snelling
South Florida Times

Florida is moving to ban Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) purchases for video games, tattoos, sports and entertainment tickets and other items recipients often buy.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the new restrictions for welfare cash benefits at a news conference in Tampa, Florida.

Tobacco, nicotine or vaping products, drugs or intoxicants, pornography, theme park admission, entertainment subscriptions, spa services, tanning and psychic or fortune-telling services also are prohibited under the new regulation.

Florida is the first state in the nation to impose restrictions on welfare assistance which is separate from Supplement Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

DeSantis said the new restrictions will shield taxpayers dollars from being used other than assistance for food, clothes and utility bills.

He said recipients are taking advantage of the taxpayer-funded benefits for luxury living.

“Florida has become the first in the nation to set guardrails on our TANF State Plan to stop these taxpayer-funded benefits from being used to purchase inappropriate, luxury, and non-essential goods and services. Taxpayer-funded assistance should help families put food on the table, keep the lights on, purchase clothing, provide for their children and overcome barriers on the path toward independence,” said DeSantis. “We will continue supporting Floridians who genuinely need assistance, while working to improve accountability and transparency so that these programs operate as intended.”

TCA benefits are issued through an EBT card to help eligible families pay for ongoing basic needs, including food, clothing, housing, utilities, household goods and personal care.

The average household receiving TCA receives approximately $250 per month.

Florida also uses TANF funds to support the Relative Caregiver Program, which currently provides assistance to relatives caring for more than 4,000 children across the state.

“Temporary Cash Assistance is designed to provide families with flexibility during times of need, and these common sense changes preserve that flexibility while strengthening the integrity of the program,” said DCF Interim Secretary Kate Williams. “Florida continues to ensure government assistance serves as a bridge to greater stability and independence while safeguarding taxpayer resources.”

Florida already prohibits EBT card use or acceptance for alcohol purchases and transactions at adult entertainment establishments, pari-mutuel wagering facilities, slot machine facilities, commercial bingo establishments and casinos or gaming facilities.

Florida’s EBT vendor blocks point-of-sale transactions at those businesses and ATM transactions at prohibited locations. The first-in-the-nation policy expands those controls to additional items and services at eligible retailers.

“Florida’s commitment to helping families move toward economic self-sufficiency includes connecting Floridians with meaningful pathways to employment and career advancement,” said CareerSource Florida President and CEO Adrienne Johnston. “Through Florida’s workforce system, individuals can access the training, credentials, apprenticeships, work-based learning, and employer connections needed to build skills and increase their earning potential. These efforts help ensure temporary assistance serves as a bridge to greater stability, independence, and opportunity for Florida families.”

The new food restrictions also align TCA with Florida’s Healthy SNAP initiative. Since April 2026, SNAP benefits in Florida may not be used to purchase soda, energy drinks, candy or ultra-processed prepared desserts.

The new restrictions will be implemented in phases, beginning with SNAP-authorized retailers and expanding transaction-level controls to additional prohibited products and services.