How Do I Gamble Online in Florida?

Florida has a substantial land-based gambling industry, but the process of gambling online is murky to many Floridians. While the Seminole Tribe of Florida boasts several casino resorts and even has a sports betting deal with the State of Florida, sports betting is in limbo due to a federal judge’s ruling. This leaves online gambling in Florida in a limbo state, unless you know how to play online for real money.

Read our guide to online gambling in Florida and you will learn everything you need to know. We provide the latest updates on Florida gambling laws, explain the various forms of legal gambling in the state, and provide tips for signing up and playing for real money. Finally, we provide answers to commonly asked questions by Florida online gamblers.

Florida Online Gambling Laws

Florida does not have online gambling regulations at present. If you want to gamble online in Florida, you will need to play at offshore online casinos, poker rooms, and sportsbooks. These sites not only accept Florida online gamblers, but they offer such players huge welcome bonuses. Whether you want to play casino games, make sports bets, or enjoy card games, you’ll be able to find honest online gambling sites for you.

One event does cloud the future at the moment: the sports betting lawsuit. In December 2021, Florida and the Seminole Tribe signed a gaming compact that involved land-based sports betting and mobile sportsbook apps. In 2022, mobile sports betting operated for about a month, then a federal judge shut down operations. The judge ruled the gaming compact broke the terms of the 1988 Indian Gaming Act and was unconstitutional according to the Florida Constitution. The Seminole Tribe appealed the ruling, but no decision has been rendered yet. Stay tuned.

Gambling Availability in Florida

How to Gamble Online for Real Money in Florida

Signing up to gamble online for real money in Florida is easy. Follow the guide below and you will be gambling in a few minutes. While our example involves an online casino, these same steps apply to online sportsbooks and cardrooms. You will find minor differences, but not enough to stop the signup process.

1. Research Trusted Gambling Sites: Read casino reviews to find the most trusted and reliable online casinos (or sportsbooks or poker sites). It’s an unlicensed gaming environment, so finding a fair and safe casino with reliable payouts is most important.
2. Sign Up for an Account: Register a new player account. Use the pop-up registration form to give your name, username, address, and email address. Submit a pic of a photo ID to prove your identity.
3. Make a Real Money Deposit: To play for real money, fund your account with a credit card, cryptocurrency, web wallet, or bank wire transfer. Log in to your account and make a deposit on the cashier page.
4. Accept a Welcome Bonus: Most casinos offer one of two welcome bonuses: a traditional first-deposit bonus or a Bitcoin bonus. Pick one, then read the wagering requirement to learn how many times you must bet the bonus prior to withdrawal.
5. Play for Real Money: Once you know the terms of use, play a real money casino game that satisfies the rollover requirement. Continue play until the rollover is cleared. After that, any game is available (or don’t accept the bonus and play any game from the start).
6. Make a Withdrawal: Now that the wagering requirement is satisfied, make a payout request through the cashier page. Once you make a withdrawal, it should take between a few minutes to a few days for the payment to arrive (depending on the cashout method).

Florida Online Gambling Timeline and History

• December 2021: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a gaming compact with the Seminole Tribe of Florida. The compact allowed land-based sports betting and mobile sports betting apps. It would have been worth $2.5 billion over the first 5 years, and both DraftKings and FanDuel would have operated in Florida.
• July 6, 2021: Owners of the Magic City Casino in Miami-Dade County and Bonita Springs Poker Room filed a lawsuit against U.S. Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and her agency, stating the gambling compact was illegal. Haaland’s Interior Department approved the gambling compact.
• November 2022: A US federal judge struck down the Florida sports betting compact. He claimed the argument that gambling took place on the Seminole Tribe’s servers was a “fiction”.
• December 22, 2022: Oral arguments began in the appellate phase of Florida sports betting case. Three judges in the US Court of Appeals in Washington DC heard the case.
• March 30, 2023: Though barred from offering mobile sports betting in Florida, DraftKings launched its horse racing app, DK Horse. Pari-mutuel wagering on horse races is legal in Florida.

The Best Online Casinos and Sportsbooks for Florida Players

 Florida Land-Based Gambling Industry

Does Florida have land-based casinos?

Florida has 7 land-based casinos and 2 legal card rooms, which are located around the state. The seven casinos are located in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Tampa, Okeechobee, Immokalee, and Coconut Creek. The Florida card rooms are in Orange City and St. Augustine.

Does Florida have legal betting tracks?

Yes, Florida has 6 horse tracks with pari-mutuel wagering. The state also has 1 traditional dog track in Longwood, plus 13 dog tracks and casinos spread through 13 different Florida cities. The horse tracks, which host horse racing at different times through the year, operate out of Miami Gardens, Hialeah, Pompano Beach, Gretna, Hallandale, and Tampa.

Florida has 13 dog track racinos, which are located in Miami, West Palm Beach, Tampa, Saint Petersburg, Sarasota, Jacksonville, Daytona Beach, Orange Park, Bonita Springs, Ebro, Melbourne, and Pensacola. The one dog track without a slot parlor is Sanford Orland Racebook and Sportsbar in Longwood.

Does Florida allow off-track betting?

No, Florida does not have off-track betting. With 20 different race tracks that offer pari-mutuel wagering and simulcasting, Florida leaders do not see a reason to license OTB facilities.

Does Florida allow betting on jai alai?

Yes, Floridians can gamble at one of 5 frontons in the state, which makes it one of the few US states that allow such gambling. Florida’s jai alai venues with legal betting are located in Miami, Orange Lake, Fort Pierce, Dania Beach, and Fern Park.

Does Florida allow charitable gaming?

Florida allows charitable gaming, but it does not license charitable gaming groups at the state level. Instead, local municipalities can license non-profit groups for charitable gaming. Groups receive a license for bingo and raffles, though state rules limit the number of bingo nights per month and year.

Does Florida allow lottery betting?

Florida has allowed lottery betting since 1988, when it legalized a state lottery. The Florida State Lottery’s officials signed to sign the Powerball multistate lottery association in 2009. They signed a similar deal with the Mega Millions lottery association in 2013.

Is social gambling allowed in Florida?

Social gambling is allowed in Florida but sets a $10 limit on betting. The Seminole Tribe of Florida otherwise has the sole right to host poker games. Florida has two laws that enforce the rules against social gambling: a Simple Gambling Law and an Aggravated Gambling Law. Both are misdemeanors, so the penalty against home poker games that exceed the limit is not great. Still, we recommend anyone hosting a home poker game should follow the $10 bet limit.

What is the legal gambling age in Florida?

The legal gambling age for casino games and sports bets is 21 in Florida. If you gamble on the lottery, make racebook bets, play at a charitable gaming hall, or bet on jai alai, you must be 18 or older. Gambling at offshore online gaming sites has a limit of 18 years old.

Florida Land-Based Casinos and Race Tracks

Online Gambling Florida FAQ

Is online gambling legal in Florida?

Online gambling is legal in Florida, so residents can play without concerns. Though the Sunshine State does not have licensed online gambling at present, its officials do not prosecute Florida residents who gamble for real money at offshore gambling sites. Individuals can play at a wide range of online casinos, sportsbooks, and poker sites with no legal issues. Launching your own Florida gaming portal would be illegal, but playing on international online or mobile gaming sites is not.

Can I legally gamble at online casinos in Florida?

Yes, you can. Florida online casinos accept real money play from people in Florida. These sites offer thousands of dollars in welcome bonuses, plus hundreds of online slots, table games, and video poker games. They allow people the ability to play live dealer games and mobile casino games. When it is time to withdraw cash, the top online casinos in Florida offer many payout methods.

Can I gamble for real money at online sportsbooks in Florida?

Offshore online sportsbooks accept Florida real money bettors. Bookmakers offer hundreds of dollars in bonus cash plus the ability to make a risk-free bet. They feature games in every major sport, including NFL and NCAA football, NBA and NCAA basketball, MLB baseball, NHL hockey, UFC and boxing events, tennis, and golf. Bet on point spreads, moneyline bets, parlays, teasers, pleasers, futures bets, and prop bets. Make in-game bets using the in-play betting page, a form of online gambling which is fast and furious.

In time, Florida might have legal mobile sports betting apps. These existed for a short time in 2022, but a lawsuit by a couple of land-based poker clubs in Southern Florida derailed that. A US Federal Appellate Court in Washington DC now decides the fate of Florida’s licensed sports betting business, so keep visiting our page for updates.

Can I gamble at online poker sites in Florida?

Floridians can gamble online at real-money poker sites, so card players have a lot of options. Online cardrooms feature Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and Seven-Card Stud, while players can enjoy ring games, tournaments, and sit-and-go events. New players can accept poker bonuses, which give you bonus cash while learning game controls.

How do I gamble online in Florida using crypto deposits?

How to Gamble Online in the United States