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With its sunny weather and beaches, Florida is one of the nation’s leading destination spots. For gamblers, the Sunshine State merits a somewhat lower ranking.
Online casino gambling is not legal in Florida. Instead, Sunshine State residents and visitors can play at social or sweepstakes casinos such as WinStar, LuckyLand and Chumba, which offer free online slots, table games and video poker via their websites or Facebooks apps. Players are offered free virtual coins for signing up and can play for prizes or amusement, with no actual money changing hands. Gambling.com’s top-rated social casinos are listed above.
The only legal form of online gambling in Florida is pari-mutuel horse betting through advance deposit wagering platforms such as TVG or TwinSpires.
Eventually, perhaps. An even more difficult question is when.
Legalization will require finding a solution to a complex, protracted stalemate with the Seminole Tribe, which in a compact signed in 2010 was awarded near-exclusive gambling rights in exchange for annual payments of roughly $350 million to the state. The Seminole Tribe began withholding those payments in 2019.
At the center of the dispute was a decision by some Florida pari-mutuel facilities to offer “designated player” card games, such as Three Card Poker and Fortune Pai Gow (a portion of the tribe’s compact dealing with exclusive banked card games expired in 2015). The Seminoles sued to stop the games, claiming they violated the tribe’s gaming compact with the state and subsequently cut off annual payments.
Adding to the difficulty is a constitutional amendment approved by Florida voters in 2018 that requires a vote by citizens to authorize or expand casino gambling in the state. Bottom line: Florida may eventually approve online and/or commercial casino gambling, but it won’t be easy … or soon.
All of Florida’s land-based casinos are owned and operated by Native American tribes. The casinos are authorized to allow slots, video poker and a limited range of table games, such as blackjack and baccarat. Dice (craps) and ball (roulette) games are not permitted, through video table games can be offered.
| Casino | City | Address | Hours of Operation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seminole Hard Rock Tampa | Tampa | 5223 Orient Road | 24 hours |
| Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood | Hollywood | 1 Seminole Way | 24 hours |
| Seminole Hard Rock Coconut Creek | Coconut Creek | 5550 NW 40th Street | 24 hours |
| Miccosukee Resort and Gaming Center | Miami | 500 SW 177th Avenue, Miami | 8 a.m.-2 a.m. |
| Seminole Classic Casino | Hollywood | 4150 North State Road 7 | 24 hours |
| Seminole Casino Brighton | Okeechobee | 17735 Reservation Road | 24 hours |
| Seminole Casino Immokalee | Immokalee | 506 South 1st Street | 24 hours |
Address: 5223 Orient Road, Tampa
Hours of Operation: Open 24 hours
Website: www.seminolehardrocktampa.com
About: State’s largest casino with more than 4,500 slots, nearly 180 table games, poker room. Located seven miles from downtown Tampa.
Address: 1 Seminole Way, Hollywood
Hours of Operation: Open 24 hours
Website: www.seminolehardrockhollywood.com
About: 30,000-square foot gaming area, more than 3,000 slots and 100 table games, poker room. Located between Fort Lauderdale and Miami.
Address: 5550 NW 40th Street, Coconut Creek
Hours of Operation: Open 24 hours
Website: www.seminolecoconutcreekcasino.com
About: More than 2,000 slots, 70 table games, poker room. Located about 17 miles north of Fort Lauderdale.
Address: 500 SW 177th Avenue, Miami
Hours of Operation: 8 a.m.-2 a.m.
Website: www.mrg.miccosukee.com
About: Limited Class II gaming facility on the edge of the Everglades (20 miles west of Miami) offers 2,000 video gaming devices and bingo. State’s lone casino not operated by Seminole Tribe. The Miccosukee do not have a compact with the state and share no revenues.
Address: 4150 North State Road 7, Hollywood
Hours of Operation: Open 24 hours
Website: www.seminoleclassiccasino.com
About: More than 1,000 slots, 34 table games, high-stakes bingo hall. Located between Fort Lauderdale and Miami.
Address: 17735 Reservation Road, Okeechobee
Hours of Operation: Open 24 hours
Website: www.seminolebrightoncasino.com
About: More than 400 slots, six table games offering blackjack and three card poker.
Address: 506 South 1st Street, Immokalee
Hours of Operation: Open 24 hours
Website: www.seminoleimmokaleecasino.com
About: More than 1,000 slots, 38 table games. Located in southwest part of state, about 35 miles from Fort Myers and Naples.
Note: Hours of operation and number of available games at all casinos subject to change due to COVID-19 restrictions and social distancing.
Florida is home to eight facilities in Miami-Dade or Broward County that offer slots and digital gaming machines.
Gulfstream Park: Live thoroughbred racing track in Hallandale Beach with nearly 700 slots and a poker room.
Calder Casino: Former horse track in Miami Gardens with nearly 1,100 slots, electronic table games, bingo.
Casino Miami: Live jai-alai games, more than 1,000 slots, electronic table game area, simulcast racing offered at this racino.
Casino@Dania Beach: Live jai-alai games, 750 slots, electronic table games, simulcast racing.
Big Easy Casino: Former greyhound racing track in Hallandale Beach with more than 900 slots, poker room, simulcast racing.
Hialeah Park Racing & Casino: Former horse racing track, this racino has 850 slots, electronic games, poker room, simulcast racing.
Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park: Live harness racing track in Pompano Beach with nearly 1,500 slots, electronic table games, poker room.
Magic City Casino: Former greyhound racing track with more than 800 slots, poker room, simulcast racing.
If and when online gambling is legalized, the Seminole Tribe, which operates six casinos in the state, is the most obvious candidate. The Seminoles Tribe owns the Hard Rock brand, which operates online gambling in New Jersey. The tribe could also decide to partner with another national online operator for its online casinos.
If lawmakers were to expand commercial and/or online casino gambling beyond tribal casinos, the Sunshine State is potentially one of the top gambling markets in the U.S., with an unlimited number of interested operators.
Mobile casino apps are the future of online gambling and would be a key component to any Florida online casino operation.
Mobile betting apps offer players an unprecedented level of convenience, with wagering available on smartphones and other mobile devices 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from anywhere inside the state. In states where legal, the apps are available for both iOS and Android devices, and can be downloaded for free on the casino’s website or the App Store.
Lottery: The Florida Lottery sold more than $7 billion in lottery tickets in 2019, third-most in the country. All of those sales were made at retail locations, since the state does not allow online ticket sales.
Online Slots: Most of your favorite slot games at land-based casinos are also available online, specifically designed to fit your smaller screen. In addition, new slot titles with the latest 3-D graphics and animation and frequently rolled out.
Online Poker: Florida is home to several huge poker rooms across the state, so a robust online player pool probably already exists. As in other states, No-Limit Texas Hold’em is the most popular game, Pot-Limit Omaha a distant second.
Online Roulette: Florida’s agreement with the Seminoles does not allow ball (roulette) games at tribal casinos. In the online version of roulette there is no ball – numbers are selected by an electronic random generator.
Online Blackjack: Among the advantages of playing the most popular table game online is several varieties of blackjack to choose from (Spanish 21, Blackjack Switch, etc.) and lower minimum bets.
Live Dealer: Adds a social element to online table games. Live dealer games are dealt by an actual person from a casino setting or studio. The action is streamed to your computer or mobile device, and players can interact with the dealer and other players at the table. Note, though, that not every casino site offers live dealer games in states with legal online casinos.
Florida would likely offer deposit and withdrawal options similar to other states with legal online casino gambling, including:
Credit/debit cards: The most convenient and popular choice for deposits, but not always the most satisfying. Some financial institutions charge high fees, others do not process gambling transactions as a matter of policy. Also, credit/debit cards generally can’t be used for withdrawals.
E-checks/bank transfer: Used for deposits and withdrawals for low fees. Bank transfers establish a digital connection between your bank and online account. Deposits are often processed instantly; withdrawals take longer.
E-wallets: PayPal, Neteller and Skrill store your financial information and allow you to easily transfer money between your e-wallet and online gambling account for low fees.
Play+/Prepaid cards: Play+ cards were designed for this purpose and work extremely well. You can register through your online casino or on the Play+ website. Players fund the Play+ card with a credit card or bank account and then transfer funds from the card into their casino account. You can withdraw winnings back on to the card and then access the money at an ATM. Prepaid cards are available at retail outlets and often through your online casino operator. Primarily used for deposits, but some can be used for withdrawals.
Cash/check/money order: Cash deposits can be made through money orders or PayNearMe, which scans a barcode to transfer funds to your online account. If time is not a factor, several online casino operators issue checks for withdrawals. Make a request and your operator will mail one to you.
Signing up new players and rewarding existing ones is vital for online casino operators, who utilize a variety of bonuses offers and promotions.
No deposit bonus: A small bonus placed in your account just for signing up.
Deposit match: Make an initial deposit and your online operator will match that amount up to 100%. Deposit match bonuses almost always include playthrough requirements, meaning the bonus money must be wagered a specific number of times before it can be redeemed.
Free spins: Offered to slot players to try new or different slot games.
High roller bonuses: Loyalty rewards for players who have accumulated points or credits that can be redeemed for cash or prizes. The higher your level of wagering and frequency of play, the more substantial the bonuses.
Brick-and-mortar tribal casinos offer gambling experiences, while traditional options like horse racing, slots, bingo and lottery are all legal too. Players can also get their poker fix at poker rooms.
Things are not as sunny when it comes to online gaming, and at present, there is no current legislation in place that could legalize play. Florida voters supported Amendment 3, which stripped the state legislature of the ability to take up any bill related to gambling. That doesn't mean there could be changes to future laws, but it makes it significantly harder to do so. All future changes to existing gambling law will have to go through public referendum, which requires 60 percent approval from voters statewide.
Sports betting is not legal in Florida and attempts to introduce retail and/or online sports betting continue to languish. Lawmakers, the Seminole Tribe and the state’s pari-mutuel facilities and poker rooms all want a stake in sports gambling, but reaching a consensus has proven difficult.
Adding to the complexity was passage in 2018 of a constitutional amendment that gives voters, instead of lawmakers, the authority to expand casino gambling in the state. The words “sports betting” do not appear on Amendment 3, but it remains open to interpretation if sports gambling can become law without a voter referendum.
While the nation’s third most populous state has the potential to become one of the leading legalized sports betting markets in the U.S., Florida continues to face significant political hurdles to make it happen.
That’s a difficult question to answer. Sports betting bills introduced the past few years have failed to gain any serious momentum.
That said, there are reasons why a sports betting bill could come to fruition. The Seminole Tribe’s decision to suspend annual payments of nearly $350 million may force state lawmakers to renegotiate a new compact with the tribe.
Previous discussions with the tribe, which wants to expand its gaming options, have included the possibility of adding online and retail sports betting. And Gov. Ron DeSantis has expressed interest in a comprehensive deal with the Seminoles that would include sports betting.
Legalized sports betting is certain to be a topic of discussion during the 2021 legislative session. The question is whether a deal can be reached that satisfies all stakeholders and addresses Amendment 3, which would require a statewide vote. Gambling.com will continue to monitor and report on Florida sports betting developments.
Daily Fantasy Sports wagering in Florida operates in an unregulated environment, meaning there is no state law that specifically addresses it (though a non-binding 1991 opinion from the state’s Attorney General says certain forms of fantasy sports would be illegal).
The two most popular Daily Fantasy Sports operators (DraftKings and FanDuel) accept Florida accounts, but some other fantasy operators do not. State lawmakers have introduced several bills over the years to regulate DFS, but opposition from the Seminole Tribe helped defeat the legislation.
Florida legalized pari-mutuel racing in 1931 and is considered one of the top winter destinations for horse racing.
The state currently has three tracks that offer live thoroughbred racing: Gulfstream Park, Tampa Bay Downs and Gulfstream Park West (formerly Calder Race Course); and one live harness racing track (Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park). Horse racing wagering is also available at dozens of simulcast facilities across the state.
Florida was once home to as many as 20 greyhound racing tracks, most in the U.S. But state residents voted in 2018 to ban greyhound racing, with tracks given a deadline of Dec. 31, 2020 to end dog racing operations.
If and when online sports betting is permitted in Florida, Hard Rock is the most likely sportsbook to launch. Any deal to legalize sports betting in Florida will likely include the Seminole Tribe, which owns the Hard Rock brand. The Seminoles own six tribal casinos in the state and are interested in expanding their gaming options.
A sports betting bill that allows multiple online operators would draw interest from all of the major online sportsbooks. With a population size that trails only California and Texas, Florida is a coveted and untapped sports betting market with nearly unlimited online potential.
Most likely, all of the major pro and college sports, as well as international sports. Lawmakers would determine if wagering would be permitted on games involving Florida-based college teams.
Only on pari-mutuels, such as horse racing. Online casino gambling and sports betting are not permitted.
The minimum age is 21 for casinos and 18 for poker rooms, pari-mutuels and lottery.
No commercial casinos are eligible for a Class III license in Florida — all casinos in the state are operated by Native American tribes. Pari-mutuel facilities in Broward and Miami-Dade counties are permitted to offer slot machines.
Casino gambling at tribal casinos, slot machines at South Florida race tracks, pari-mutuel wagering, the Florida Lottery and Daily Fantasy Sports (unregulated). Social casinos are also available.
Online casino gambling accounts can be set up from anywhere, but bettors would need to be physically located inside Florida to legally place a wager. Online casinos and sportsbooks use geolocation software to determine a player’s location.
Some of those offers are from offshore-based casino sites, which are unregulated, risky and should be avoided. Other offers are from social casinos, which provide free online slots and table games for prizes or amusement with no real money changing hands.
At seven tribal casinos around the state; eight South Florida racinos; and more than two dozen poker rooms.
No. Sports betting is not legal in Florida in any capacity.
Lawmakers would make that determination. For now, the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, along with the Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering, regulate gambling in the state.
Yes, provided the online gambling site you are playing is licensed and regulated by the Florida agency responsible for testing all digital equipment and ensuring that all games are fair.
Florida does not tax gambling winnings. All gambling winnings are subject to federal income tax, though.
"Three decades covering online gaming, news and sports. My expertise is government and legislation, breaking down the latest online gambling industry developments to keep you in the know."
Reviewer since July 2019
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