Is Online Betting Legal In Florida

• Casino Gambling: Legal
• Poker: Legal
• Horse Racing Betting: Legal
• Dog Racing Betting: Legal
• Lottery: Legal
• Daily Fantasy Sports: Unspecified
• Charitable Gaming: Legal
• Social Gambling: Restricted
• Online Gambling: Unspecified

• Is Online Sports Betting Legal In Florida
• Online Gambling Florida

Legality of online gambling Majority of countries restrict betting via Internet, but it is allowed in several states in US. Government is very strict about rules of regulations for those providers who offer people online gambling services. They need to get a special license for performing their business. Florida permits multiple land-based gambling options, including Indian tribal casinos, stand-alone card rooms, lotteries, bingo, and pari-mutuel racetracks. At this time, Florida has not considered online gambling regulation at the state level.

Florida gambling law is ever-changing, as citizens and lawmakers wage constant war to push their various agendas. Legislation is perpetually being introduced to ban one form of gaming or expand some other type. While this creates an exciting dynamic for fans of politics on the state level, it also makes it difficult for the average fan to stay on top of things.

In order to provide a clearer picture, we’ve put together this overview of the current laws as they apply to gambling in Florida. Some or all of these may be different in a few years, which is why we suggest that high rollers or anyone planning on getting into the gambling business supplement this material with a visit to an attorney.

Our goal, however, is to keep this page on Florida gambling as updated as possible. So as we learn new information or new laws are passed, we will do our best to update this page. We want to make sure that our readers have the most accurate information so that they can make the best decisions of what to do when it comes to gambling in their state.

If you live in the state of Florida, we recommend bookmarking this page and any other resources that we suggest here so that you can keep up-to-date with what’s going on and make sure you’re informed about any new legal issues or better places for you to gamble.

We’ll dig into Florida’s gambling laws further down the page, but first we’d like to share some contextual information to help you put the whole story about the state’s betting regulations into perspective. You’ll see from the information below that Florida’s statutes related to gaming are an odd mix of ultra-progressive and ultra-conservative.

You’ll also see the clear influence of local anti-tax politics; though the state’s betting options bring in a couple billion a year, Florida lays claim to well under $500 million. The state’s relatively-paltry 20% casino revenue tax is mainly to blame.

The two commercial casino properties mentioned in the Key Info box above are casino cruise ships that embark from Florida, enter international waters, and allow customers to engage in traditional forms of gambling. That long list of racinos should tell you something about the state’s gambling market – it is generally disorganized, small-scale, and heavily-regulated. That’s pushed many Floridians interested in operating a gaming venue out of the market, and left a vacuum that only outside investment can fill. The result is a gambling-friendly state that’s never created an identity for itself.

The state of Florida doesn’t regulate online gambling or allow any casinos to operate within state lines. But since the state’s laws don’t mention online gambling at all, it’s technically legal to gamble with offshore-based casino, poker, and sports betting sites. 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 legality of online gambling in Florida is entirely dependent upon the activity in question. Online horse racing betting, greyhound betting and daily fantasy sports are all permitted in Florida. Other forms of online wagering such as mobile sportsbooks and casinos are prohibited under state law.

Part of Florida’s low-revenue problem has to do with its oddball gaming laws. Below you’ll find our detailed guide to Florida law, at least as it pertains to real-money betting.

The latest attempt to legalize Florida sports betting through the lottery has been filed. Now, the countdown starts until the bill all but certainly dies.

Sen. Jeff Brandes filed SB 392, which would authorize sports betting in Florida regulated by the Florida Lottery. He also filed SB 394 and SB 396, which sets the sports betting revenue tax at 15% and license fees at $100,000, respectively.

While many operators would love to jump at the opportunity offer sports betting in Florida, it’s not that simple. Brandes submitted nearly identical legislation last year only to have it die in committee.

It’s not because Brandes’ bill is a bad one. It’s because it doesn’t involve the Seminole Tribe.

Tricky backdrop for Florida sports betting

The Seminoles, owners of the Hard Rock casino corporation, claim they have exclusivity over sports betting in the state.

It’s still up for debate whether that is true or not, though the Seminoles have the Federal Register on their side. There, sports betting is included in the Class III gaming definition.

Disagreements over gaming issues have led the Seminoles to stop honoring their revenue-share agreement. The two sides came together a bit late last year to discuss a broader gambling agreement but nothing came of it.

Is Online Sports Betting Legal In Florida

Sen. President Wilton Simpson‘s office told LSR earlier this month the Senate isn’t ready for gambling bills:

“President Simpson believes it is important to look at opportunities to maximize revenue for the State of Florida. Discussions continue regarding what is available to us on the private side and also with the Tribe. At this time, the Senate is not at a point where we are prepared to introduce legislation related to these issues.”

Referendum needed?

On top of the complications with the Seminole Indians, voters approved a constitutional amendment in 2018 that puts them in charge of gaming expansion.

Now, outside of any changes concerning tribal gaming with the Seminoles, voters must approve any expansion of gambling in the state.

Given how hard the Seminole Indians and the Walt Disney Co. have fought against gambling expansion in the past, it seems likely the only path forward for sports betting in the state is through the Seminoles.

Hard Rock expands sports betting business

There’s another reason to think SB 392 is dead on arrival. Hard Rock launched a new digital division for sports betting and iGaming that suggests the company is ready to make a genuine jump into the market.

The business division might be new but the people running it are industry veterans from the former Stars Group:

Online Gambling Florida

• Rafi Ashkenazi, formerly CEO of Stars, will be the executive chair
• Marlon Goldstein, former chief legal officer and general counsel of Stars, will be CEO
• Matt Primeaux, former Stars senior VP of strategy and operations for the US, will be the president.