Online Gambling in Florida: Quick Facts
- Legal Florida online gambling options: None
- Legal gambling age: 21 at tribal casinos
- Who regulates Florida online gambling? N/A
- Legal mobile gambling? No
- Do I need to be physically located in Florida to gamble online? N/A
- Do I need to be a resident of Florida to gamble online? N/A
- Sports avalable to bet on: Horse and greyhounds racing at tracks only.
- What can't I bet on? Online sports, and casino or poker games.
A Brief History of Florida Online Gambling
Florida online gambling isn't here yet, but that isn't for lack of effort. Back in 2018, the Supreme Court ruled that the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act was unconstitutional. That decision allowed states to legalize sports betting in the United States. States in the north were more receptive to this than the ones in the south because of fundamental religious beliefs.
The Florida legislature has been trying to legalize sports betting for a couple of years. Governor DeSantis is not favoring online gambling legalization, which has slowed the process. Multiple legislative attempts have died early in congress.
The Push Continues
The push for legalization is continuing in 2021 as legislators continue to try and bring online gambling to the state. The Florida market would be extensive and bring in a lot of money for the state. Retirees are numerous in the state, and many of them enjoy gambling. Accessible gambling that can be done from a person’s house would grow Florida’s broad economy.
Additionally, Florida is the tourism capital of the United States. People from all over the world visit FL for the theme parks. Many of these visitors would partake in online gambling if they had the opportunity.
As of 2021, three new bills have been proposed to bring online gambling to the state. The bills vary regarding annual license fees and tax rates. However, it's worth noting that online sports betting is included in all of those bills.
The biggest hurdle with online gambling is the Seminole Tribe which operates the casinos in southern Florida. The Seminole Tribe has a monopoly on all casino card games. That monopoly would obviously be impacted if sports betting were legalized throughout the state.
A new tribal compact will need to be negotiated to ensure that the tribe and state are both benefitting. This is likely in the future, but there is no timetable for legalization.
Florida Online Gambling: The Current Law
There is no online gambling allowed in Florida. Three bills have been proposed in 2021 which would legalize online sports betting. The state legislature must get the Seminole Tribe to comply with sports betting for it to launch in FL.
Legal Online Sportsbooks
There are no legal online sportsbooks in Florida. However, when sports betting is legalized, many providers will want to enter the state. Florida has the potential to be a big market because of the tourism industry in the state. There have been projections that FL could have an extremely successful online betting market very early in the process.
The best sportsbooks in the nation have expressed interest in a Florida launch. These include DraftKings, BetMGM, FanDuel, PointsBet, FOX Bet, and 888Sport.
Sports Betting in Florida
Florida could have a massive sports betting economy for multiple reasons. The tourism and retirement nature of the state give online betting a great chance of success. Florida also has an extensive professional sports market.
There are nine professional sports franchises across the four major leagues that compete in Florida.
- NFL: Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- MLB: Florida Marlins, Tampa Bay Rays
- NBA: Miami Heat, Orlando Magic
- NHL: Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lighting
There are also PGA, NASCAR, and IndyCar venues in the state. There are no online sports betting platforms in the state. However, I believe that the markets listed below will be legal in Florida. The moneyline, point spread, and total bets are the traditional wagers. Props focus on a smaller portion of the game. Futures are when you bet something that could happen down the road. Parlay wagers are when you group bets from different games to heighten your odds.
Legal Online Casinos in Florida
There are no legal online casinos in the Sunshine State. If people are utilizing online casinos, they are doing it through illegal offshore sites. Florida is home to multiple landlocked casinos that are scattered throughout the state.
The best casinos in FL are the properties that the Seminole Tribe runs in southern Florida. The tribe operates seven casinos in the state, with their main properties in Tampa and Hollywood, FL. The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casinos in these areas are frequented by visitors all over the nation.
The other legal casinos in the state only offer slots and video gaming. The Seminole Tribe has a monopoly over table games in the state.
Legal Online Poker in Florida
There are no legal online poker sites in Florida. If you are in the Sunshine State and want to play poker, you need to do so in a Seminole run casino. These properties are the only locations where card rooms are available in the state.
How to Set Up a Florida Online Gambling Account
If Florida legalizes online gambling, the easiest way to sign up for an account will be through your mobile device. You will need to be within Florida’s state borders to sign-up for an account. However, you will not need to be a resident of the state. This is standard throughout the nation where online gambling is legalized.
You will need to provide your name, address, date of birth, and social security number upon registration, depending on the site. You should not be afraid of entering this data because online gambling sites undergo many security measures.
When you do create your site, it’s critical to choose a strong password. Utilize letters, numbers, and symbols for your password to ensure that nobody can break into your site. The last thing you want is for someone to steal money from your Florida online gambling account. If you are not in Florida, you can access your gambling account, but you will not be able to place any wagers.
Florida Banking Methods
Banking methods are standard amongst online gambling platforms. Not all sites offer the same payment methods, but they do overlap on multiple occasions. The most popular ways to deposit and withdraw on sportsbooks throughout the United States are credit/debit cards, PayPal, Neteller, PayNearMe, e-Check through ACH Payments, or a banking wire. Credit cards and debit cards are ubiquitous in the online gambling world because of their ease.
If you gamble on a Florida online platform, you should not worry about identity theft. Online gambling sites are required to enact tight security measures to ensure that you will be safe for the entirety of your gambling endeavors.
The Future of Online Gambling in Florida
Online gambling is likely in Florida in the coming years. Most likely, sports betting will be the first online game to be legalized in the state. This could occur in 2021, but it’s more likely that legalization will happen in 2022 or 2023.
Sports betting was recently legalized in Tennessee. TN does not directly border FL, but southern states are becoming more open to online sports betting.
It’s improbable that online casino gaming will be enacted. There are only a handful of states that offer this type of gambling. It’s a possibility, but it’s not likely because of how limited it is throughout the nation.
Additionally, more agreements would have to be made with the Seminole Tribe, which has a monopoly on table games in the state. Thus far, three bills have been proposed in the 2021 legislative session for sports betting, so the future gambling market will be exposed this year.
