Is It Legal To Gamble Online In Florida
Online gambling is a grey area as there are no official laws against it; players are free to play at licensed online casinos as long as they are based outside Florida. There has been a ban on Internet cafes that provide online gambling opportunities as well, owing to the. The only form of legal Florida online gambling is off-track betting on horses and greyhounds. Sites like TVG and TwinSpires accept this action. Daily fantasy sports sites claim exemption under Florida’s skill gaming law. This opinion is debatable. Like most states, Florida gambling laws have no specific legislation regarding online gambling so it will not be prosecuted any differently than land based gambling rings. Since honest Florida residents who merely like to gamble run no real risk of prosecution, there is no real risk for a Florida residents who uses online networks to gamble on poker, games of chance, or even to bet on sports. Sports betting in Florida is a bit cloudy considering it calls itself the 'Sunshine State.' On the one hand, FL residents have dozens of options when it comes to gambling at commercial and tribal casinos and poker rooms, and there are numerous race tracks to bet at as well.
- Racing (1931), Bingo (1970), Lottery (1986), Poker (1994), Casinos (2004)
- $1.7 billion
- $7 billion
- 18 for lottery and bingo, 21 for casinos and racing
- Florida does not permit smoking in card clubs but the ban does not apply to casinos.
- Horseracing is only form of legal online gambling
Florida was a pioneer in several forms of gambling in the South. It was the first to legalize horse and greyhound racing. Its state lottery was the first in the region. Florida casinos were launched third in the southeast, only after Mississippi and Louisiana. It is the only state in the South with card clubs.
Florida gambling has always been a hotly debated subject. Referendums related to gambling expansion failed time and time again from the Great Depression era until a lottery passed in 1986. A poker referendum only passed in one county in 1994 before receiving more widespread support two years later. These days, Florida is known as one of the healthiest poker markets in the world. There are also over thirty Florida casinos, with plenty of other poker rooms and Indian casinos.
November 2018 Update
During the midterm elections of 2018, Floridians voted on two pieces of legislation affecting gambling.
- Amendment 3: Voters approved the measure that will now make it more difficult for gaming companies to build new casinos in the state. Many online betting sites are worried that the changes will affect previously authorized gambling sites in the region.
- Amendment 13: The people of Florida approved banning greyhound racing in the state. Eleven tracks are currently in operation and will have to phase out their services by the end of 2020.
Paying Gambling Taxes in Florida
OnlineUnitedStatesCasinos has gathered everything you need to know about paying taxes on your gambling winnings straight from a Certified Public Accountant. For more information please visit our exclusive Gambling Taxes article.
Florida Casinos Map & Guide
- BestBet Jacksonville
- Daytona Beach Poker
- Seminole Hard Rock
- 32
- 29
- 7
Types of Online Florida Gambling Allowed
The only form of legal Florida online gambling is off-track betting on horses and greyhounds. Sites like TVG and TwinSpires accept this action.
Daily fantasy sports sites claim exemption under Florida’s skill gaming law. This opinion is debatable. A 1991 opinion from then-Attorney General Robert Butterworthdeclared fantasy sports to be illegal in Florida. A federal grand jury is hearing evidence about whether the activity is legal in the state.
The Florida Legislature banned sweepstakes cafes that use the Internet to award prizes in 2013. This forced subscription poker sites out of the state. Any online gambling site outside of the racing industry is unlicensed and most likely illegal in Florida.
Types of Live Florida Gambling
- Slots: Yes
- Blackjack: Yes
- Poker: Yes
- Craps/Roulette: No
- Horses: Yes
- Lottery: Yes
Florida gambling offers a wide variety of options. Florida is one if just six states left where greyhound tracks operate. Horseracing is also legal under the same statute. Tracks may operate race books on simulcasts. Jai Alai is also legal, although its popularity deteriorated with the legalization of other forms of gambling. Florida racetracks may offer live poker and card games.
There is a Florida Lottery that operates within the state. It sells scratch-off tickets and lotto entries.
The Seminole Tribe offers seven casinos in Florida. Its gaming pact permits a monopoly on blackjack and similar house-banked games. Slots and video poker are also spread at these Seminole Florida casinos. These are operated under the Hard Rock brand in major cities.
Dade and Broward Counties have an unusual setup. These two counties may offer slots, video poker and electronic table games.
Florida Gambling Laws
While it is a gaming-friendly state, Florida gambling laws are strict and have many anti-gambling statutes on the books. These parts of the codified law remain in effect even as Florida gambling policy is liberal. Many of the anti-gambling aspects of the law pertain to masquerading charitable gaming as commercial. For instance, bingo must have a prize pool no higher than $100. It also forbids several forms of Florida online gambling, including daily fantasy sports, according to a previous attorney general opinion. This has not kept sites like FanDuel and DraftKings out of the state.
The main gaming attraction are the Florida casinos owned by the Seminole Tribe. This is where gamblers will find slots, video poker, blackjack, baccarat, and other house-banked card games. The Seminoles hope to expand that to craps and roulette in the next gaming compact. Those games are currently illegal in Florida at any venue except cruise ships that do not open tables until in international waters.
Horse and greyhound racing is the oldest form of Florida gambling. These establishments hit hard times when racing fell out of popularity. Florida permits tracks to operate card clubs. While there were once bet limits in Florida, those are no longer in effect. True no limit games are legal at all card clubs and casinos.
The Seminoles have an exclusivity agreement with the state on house-banked card games, but are currently in dispute. The tribe guaranteed $1 billion to the state. The tax rate is 12% for a net win up to $2 billion. It goes up to 15% for income between $2 billion and $3 billion. This is the highest Seminole table game revenue has ever achieved. Tax rates go up 2.5% for every $500 million, should table game revenue ever reach those limits.
The minimum gambling age in Florida is 18 years for the lottery and bingo, and 21 years for those betting in casinos or the racing tracks.
List of Florida Casinos
With nearly 40 locations, there are plenty of Florida casinos to visit and play at. Below you will find a detailed list of the casinos in Florida, including their locations and websites. You can always use our Florida casinos map to guide you to the nearest location.
Casino | Size | Address | Website |
---|---|---|---|
BestBet Jacksonville | 70 Poker Tables | 201 Monument Rd. | www.bestbetjax.com |
BestBet Orange Park | 40 Poker Tables | 455 Park Ave. | www.bestbetjax.com |
Casino Miami | 1,000 Slot Machines | 3500 N.W. 37th Ave. | www.casinomiamijaialai.com |
Creek Entertainment Gretna | 26 Poker Tables | 501 Racetrack Drive | www.creekentertainment.com |
Daytona Beach Poker | 55 Poker Tables | 960 S. Williamson Blvd. | www.daytonagreyhound.com |
Derby Lane | 55 Poker Tables | 10490 Gandy Blvd. N. | www.derbylane.com |
Ebro Poker | 25 Poker Tables | 6558 Dog Track Rd. | www.goebro.com |
Fort Pierce Poker | 25 Poker Tables | 1750 S. Kings Hwy | www.casinomiamijaialai.com |
Gulfstream Park | 800 Slot Machines | 901 S. Federal Hwy | www.gulfstreampark.com |
Hialeah Park | 882 Slot Machines | 2200 E. 4th Ave. | www.hialeahparkcasino.com |
Isle Casino | 1,500 Slot Machines | 777 Isle of Capri Circle | pompano-park.isleofcapricasinos.com |
Jefferson County Poker | 12 Poker Tables | 3079 N. Jefferson St. | www.jckc.us |
Lucky’s Card Room Tampa | 19 Poker Tables | 8300 N. Nebraska Ave. | www.tgtpoker.com |
Magic City Casino | 800 Slot Machines | 450 N.W. 37th Ave. | www.magiccitycasino.com |
Mardi Gras Casino | 900 Slot Machines | 831 N. Federal Hwy | www.mgfla.com |
Melbourne Greyhound Park | 38 Poker Tables | 1100 N. Wickham Rd. | www.mgpark.com |
Miccosukee Resort | 1,900 Slot Machines | 500 S.W. 177th Avenue | www.miccosukee.com |
Naples-Fort Myers Poker | 30 Poker Tables | 10601 Bonita Beach Rd. S.E. | www.naplesfortmyersdogs.com |
Ocala Poker | 28 Poker Tables | 4601 W. Hwy 318 | www.ocalapokerroom.com |
Pensacola Greyhound Track | 25 Poker Tables | 951 Dog Track Rd. | www.pensacolagreyhoundtrack.com |
One-Eyed Jacks – Sarasota | 35 Poker Tables | 5400 Bradenton Rd. | www.skcpoker.com |
Seminole Casino – Brighton | 300 Slot Machines | 17735 Reservation Road | www.seminolebrightoncasino.com |
Seminole Coconut Creek Casino | 2,400 Slot Machines | 5550 N.W. 40th Street | www.seminolecoconutcreekcasino.com |
Seminole Casino Immokalee | 1,200 Slot Machines | 506 South 1st Street | www.seminoleimmokaleecasino.com |
Seminole Hard Rock Casino – Hollywood | 2,500 Slot Machines | 1 Seminole Way | www.seminolehardrockhollywood.com |
Seminole Hard Rock – Tampa | 5,000 Slot Machines | 5223 N. Orient Road | www.seminolehardrocktampa.com |
Tampa Bay Downs | 26 Poker Tables | 11225 Race Track Rd. | www.tampabaydowns.com |
The Casino at Dania Beach | 900 Slot Machines | 301 E. Dania Beach Blvd. | www.casinodaniabeach.com |
History of Florida Gambling
Racing won approval in the state legislature in 1931 by just one vote. The Florida Legislature eventually overrode Governor Doyle Carlton’s veto to legalize horse and greyhound racing in Florida. It was the first form of regulated betting in the state after a decade of attempts.
Jai Alai was added four years later. Slot machines were briefly legal between 1935 and 1937 before being repealed by the state legislature.
Florida legalized bingo and other charity games of chance in 1970. No minimum age was introduced making it so that anybody may play bingo in Florida, although most establishments to not admit minors.
The Seminoles were considered a nonprofit organization and were permitted to offer bingo. The largest prize pool for a bingo organizer is $100. The Seminoles decided that this did not pertain to them. The tribe opened high-stakes bingo. They were challenged by Attorney General Bob Butterworth. The Seminoles prevailed after the case made its way all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. This opened the door for more tribal bingo halls in Florida.
Florida voters approved a lottery in 1986. This same ballot initiative saw casinos fail in a landslide.
Poker was approved in 1994 in Broward County and throughout the state in 1996. It took until 2004, after many failed attempts, to legalize casinos on Seminole land. Florida casinos eventually spread to Dade and Broward Counties. The county casinos can only offer slots, video poker, and electronic table games. The Seminole casinos in Florida may offer house-banked table games in addition to these games.
Poker once had a pot limit of $10. This was raised to a $100 buy-in in 2008. All bet limits were dropped in Florida poker rooms in 2010.
A 1991 attorney general opinion stated that fantasy sports were illegal in Florida. Daily fantasy sports sites ignore this opinion. A federal grand jury is investigating the daily fantasy sports industry in the state.
Florida Gambling FAQ
Is gambling legal in Florida?
Gambling and casinos are completely legal in Florida.
The minimum Florida gambling age is 18 years for lottery and bingo, and 21 years for casinos and racing.
Off-track betting on horses and greyhounds is the only form of legal online gambling in Florida.
Not according to a 1991 opinion from the state attorney general, but the daily fantasy sites dispute this finding.
Tracks operate live horse and greyhound racing.
Yes, there are tracks that spread Jai Alai.
Yes. Tracks and Seminole casinos throughout Florida offer live poker.
There are no bet limits in Florida.
July 1, 2010. This opened up an extensive market, and Florida has quickly become a great place to play poker.
Why are slots permitted in Broward and Dade Counties?
Voters approved these casinos in separate referendums. State law permits local jurisdictions to approve slots at racetracks. Voters in all other counties rejected the measures.
The history of state-sanctioned gambling in Florida dates back to 1931 when local legislators legalized on-site betting on dog and horse racing as well as jai alai. Nowadays, most facilities that offer these services also host slots and even poker rooms. Additionally, the Sunshine State houses independent bingo halls and card rooms that provide competitive poker.
Tribal gambling was introduced to Florida with the federal Indian Regulatory Gaming Act of 1988. The local tribes established eight casinos that host legal slots and table games. The Seminole tribe operates seven of these casinos, and the Miccosukee tribe owns the eighth. The Florida Lottery has a monopoly on lottery games. Charitable gambling is allowed.
Florida Gambling Law Summary
According to Section 848 of the Florida code, taking part in unlicensed land-based gambling is a second-degree misdemeanor. However, the state does allow home games and doesn’t have any regulations that could be directly applied to online play. Consequently, Florida-based gambling enthusiasts are pretty much free to play on offshore sites, especially since the local authorities aren’t interested in finding a potential loophole that could allow them to prosecute individual players.
Gambling within the borders of the Sunshine State is covered by Florida Statutes 849.01 et seq. and 550.001 et seq. The minimum gambling age is 21 for casino games and 18 for lottery games, horse racing, dog racing, bingo, jai alai, and poker.
Allowed | Notes | |
Land-Based Gambling | Yes | Tribal racinos, poker rooms, and bingo halls |
Online Gambling | No | May be coming soon |
Lottery | Yes | |
Charitable Gaming | Yes | Bingo |
Minimum Gambling Age | 18 for pari-mutuel, lottery, bingo, and poker games; 21 for casinos |
Online Gambling in Florida
Florida legislators haven’t moved to legalize online gambling yet, although this may change soon. The local gambling industry has experienced steady growth over the past few years, generating over $300 million in annual revenue to the state, giving local politicians have an excellent reason to allow casino operators to expand to the internet. Such a move would be unlikely to generate any public backlash; however, most state representatives are skeptical about disrupting the status quo.
On the other hand, the Seminole tribe does not seem interested in sports betting legalization. According to Gary Bitner, the tribe’s spokesman, this form of gambling isn’t being considered by the Seminoles due to unspecified “legal and legislative hurdles.”
Florida Casinos
In Florida, land-based casino games are available exclusively at racetracks and tribal casinos – independent card rooms are prohibited from offering slots or even table card games that are played against the house. Five out of eight tribal casinos offer 1,000+ slots. These gambling establishments are located in Tampa, Coconut Creek, Hollywood, Miami, and Immokalee.
Residents don’t have access to any regulated internet casinos, and it’s way too early to speculate which iGaming companies would be interested in launching Florida-licensed sites if legal internet gambling became a reality. As it stands, law-abiding Florida-based iGaming fans are stuck with social websites.
Offshore casino platforms tend to accept Florida residents, but playing real money games is a violation of Florida’s gambling laws, which define gambling as “playing or engaging in any card game or game of chance, at any place, by any device, for money or another thing of value.”
Can You Gamble Online In The Us
Florida Poker
Florida is full of land-based card rooms and is considered a major US poker hotspot. Unfortunately, local fans don’t have access to any state-sanctioned sites that would allow them to take their hobby online. If you want to play poker over the internet in Florida without breaking any laws, your first option is to join a poker-friendly social gaming platform, such as Zynga. The alternative is to use offshore poker rooms, but that could put you in legal jeopardy as these platforms’ legal status is the same as that of offshore casino sites.
Florida Sports Betting
Betting on traditional sports is still illegal in Florida, and the idea of introducing this form of gambling to the Sunshine State seems to be facing more resistance than any potential iGaming bill. Betting on dog and horse racing is legal, and both off-track and inter-track wagering is allowed but unavailable over the internet. Florida residents who want to engage in online sports betting can take advantage of offshore sportsbooks, although the legality of this is questionable.
Florida Daily Fantasy Sports
The Daily Fantasy Sports situation in Florida is volatile. Section 849.14, which defines illegal gambling, does not feature an exemption for games of skill. What’s more, in 1991, Attorney General Robert A. Butterworth issued an official Advisory Legal Opinion, which explicitly stated that DFS contests should be considered illegal within the borders of the state.
Nevertheless, both FanDuel and DraftKings offer their services to Florida residents, who are estimated to account for 3-5% of these sites’ user bases. When asked by Forbes, both companies refused to comment on this issue. To further complicate matters, Florida authorities are not looking to turn this into a legal battle at the moment, and local Republicans have been pushing for DFS legalization. Although their attempts haven’t yielded any results so far, they are likely to continue.
This lack of certainty forced Yahoo DFS to withdraw from the Florida market in 2015. Small operators, such as DraftOps and StarsDraft, also play it safe and refuse to accept Florida-based DFS fans.
Florida Lotteries
Florida hosts a state lottery that operates a wide range of draw, scratch-off, and fast play games, although none of them are available online. If you want to play Mega Millions or Powerball in the Sunshine State, you need to visit one of the 13,000+ licensed retailer shops as the official Florida Lottery website serves for information purposes only.
Florida Bingo
Live bingo games in Florida are operated by both charitable organizations and commercial bingo halls, but none of the entities that run them are allowed to make them available online. Bingo sites that accept Florida residents are all operated by offshore companies, the use of which can be risky.
Florida Online Gambling FAQ
What types of gambling are available in FL?
Licensed gambling in Florida is predominantly about the local tribal casinos, as there are no commercial gambling establishments located within the borders of the state. Other than that, Florid operates its own lottery and has pari-mutuel horse betting. Charitable gambling is allowed and is relatively popular. Online gambling is the only form of playing for real money that hasn’t been regulated so far.
Can You Gamble Online In Florida
What laws cover online gambling in FL?
All real money games are regulated by Section 848 of the Florida code. It would be possible to argue that some of those laws apply to playing games of chance over the internet. Still, the local authorities simply aren’t interested in exploiting a legal loophole to punish individual punters or poker enthusiasts. Although offshore sites are reasonably popular among Florida residents, no online players have been fined or charged with a misdemeanor so far. In our opinion, this is sufficient to consider Florida to be an offshore gambling-friendly state.
Is real money online gambling legal in Florida?
The short answer is yes. The long answer is that it would be theoretically possible to argue that the general land-based gambling regulations apply to online play, but the local law enforcement has never tested this kind of approach since the chances of getting an actual conviction are very slim.
Which offshore gambling sites accept Florida residents?
Florida-based gambling enthusiasts are free to join all the US-facing real money iGaming platforms, including Bovada.
What are the most popular banking options supported by Florida-facing sites?
Is It Legal To Gamble Online In Florida Keys
We recommend using a debit card or a credit card and sticking with the most reliable brands, such as Visa and MasterCard. Please note that offshore gambling sites tend to use a different method for cash-outs – in most cases, you’ll receive a traditional bank wire transfer once your request has been processed.
Does Florida offer any intrastate online gambling?
No, unfortunately, Florida doesn’t have any licensed sites that operate exclusively on the intrastate market.
Is it likely for Florida to regulate online gambling?
While various Florida lawmakers have tried pushing for a local iGaming bill, there’s simply no denying the fact that the current Florida governor is opposed to new online gambling-friendly regulations.