Is Online Sports Betting Legal in Florida?

Posted July 9, 2019

Presently online and offline sports betting isn’t legal in the state of Florida, but hopefully that won’t be the case for longterm. Florida is in a exceptional position when it comes to legalizing online sports betting. After the Supreme Court’s historic ruling in May of 2018 to overturn the skilled and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), several states jumped headfirst to this multi-billion dollar industry and instantly legalized sports gambling.
Florida, sadly, was not one of them.
There are numerous reasons that is the case however, the largest one has to do with the nation’s longtime compact with the Seminole Tribe, which we’ll tell you more about beneath. The uncertainty around the long-term future of this arrangement has been the biggest variable in the Sunshine State’s wait-and-see strategy to legalization.
Nonetheless, there are solutions for residents of Florida while they await the nation’s legislators to behave. Daily fantasy sports websites for example DraftKings and FanDuel accept players from Florida.
Horse racing websites like TwinSpires also operate from the state.
The absence of urgency and motion on this issue is certainly frustrating for gamers, however it might not stay this way indefinitely.
The sport betting landscape is changing across the country and while it’s taking some state’s a long time (some longer than others), it is widely believed that it’s only a matter of time until Florida gets in on the action.
This page is the complete guide to what you want to know about the past, present, and future of internet sports betting in Florida. We’ll explain the US Supreme Court decision on PASPA in much more detail and describe how it figures into how sports gambling regulation will take shape in Florida in the years to come.
We’ll also keep this page update with significant developments that can help or hurt Florida’s chances of presenting legal sports betting in the near future.
To learn more on other nations, read our country by state guides to US sports betting laws.
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The Recent Online Sports Betting Situation at Florida
When the US Supreme Court overturned PASPA in 2018 it opened up the door for each state to make their own conclusions with respect to legalizing sports gambling in their jurisdiction. Each state can choose whether to do it all and if so, how the regulations will work.
Since each state has its own history and political/economic climate, we’re likely to see change occur at a different pace depending on which part of the nation you are talking about.
In some cases the switch to legal sports gambling was already in the works and occurred immediately. In other regions the switch seems inevitable and is waiting for legislation or other red tape to be dealt with. In different areas, legalization of sport gambling may not happen in any way.
Florida falls somewhere in the midst of those groups. The country is receptive to betting in general but there is legal work that has to be performed before full-scale sports betting will be made available.
The present state of legal online sports gambling in Florida is somewhat complex, to say the least.
Though Florida has the ability to legalize sports betting, there are a couple of things standing in the way. The biggest obstacle is that the pact that the country has with the Seminole Tribe.
Essentially, the agreement gives the Seminole Tribe a monopoly on most of casino card games (blackjack, pai gow, casino poker variants, etc). On the other hand, the arrangement has become somewhat tenuous and the new probability of sports betting has made the negotiations more complicated.
As it stands right now, nothing is now occurring about the legalization front and also the first chance for anything to alter will be March 2019, when the Florida Legislature meets next.
Florida definitely does not fall into the”Never going to happen” class in regards to legal sports betting but it’s not likely to be leading the charge towards regulation. Like many nations, however, Florida is going to have a hard time dismissing the possible revenue when they visit other neighboring states begin to reap the rewards.
The History of Online Sports Betting in Florida
Florida is among the states where sports gambling laws have not changed much over the last 50 decades or so.
Over the decades America has been through a number of reforms when it comes to the laws governing sports gambling. From the early 60s, in an effort to combat organized crime and mob related racketeering, the US government made inter-state sports gambling illegal with the Federal Wire act.
The problem with that course of actions, not unlike what occurred with the prohibition of alcohol, is it only drove the business and flow of cash farther underground.
Three years later, in 1992, the skilled and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) was released in an effort to defend the integrity of American sport by making gambling on games illegal anywhere outside Nevada. Americans might not have been able to gamble on sports but it was not long then the internet made it possible for offshore sportsbooks to offer their services to US gamers online.
Ever since then, the US has missed out on a massive revenue opportunity in the form of regulated sports betting. There’s clearly a massive market for it as Americans spend billions each year wagering online in vegas and through unregulated off-shore casinos and sportsbooks.
As of the writing, sports betting hasn’t been legal in Florida, intriguing because the state has a relatively large gambling culture.
Racetracks and casinos have become common place across the state, yet neither offers legalized sports gambling. The nearest thing people in Florida can bet on is puppy and horse-racing along with the sport of jai alai that has been popular and legal to bet on at the country since the 1960s.
The only option sports gamblers have to place wagers on games would be to utilize one of several offshore choices, which are currently illegal.
Which Online Sports Betting Sites Are Legal in Florida?
As you can imagine, there are no”legal” online sports betting websites in Florida. However, several offshore options exist for internet sports bettors, but nothing that could constitute as valid.
While not technically illegal, offshore sportsbooks are risky to use since they are located in far-off nations rather than subject to real oversight or regulations. If something goes wrong with the company or your accounts, it’s extremely difficult to resolve the circumstance.
Our advice would be to await legal and fully controlled choices to arrive in the USA.
In the coming months, after March of 2019 in particular, we highly suggest returning to this a page for an upgrade as we intend to continue to keep readers updated on all matters regarding the legalization of sport gambling across America.
What Sports Can You Bet on Online at Florida?
As of now, there are not any sports you can bet on legally online or off. But if sports gambling does become legalized in the state of Florida, then it is going to bring with it a complete record of specialist and amateuer sports to wager on.
Florida has a massive sports culture and tons of pro teams for residents to root for. Here are some of the state’s teams which will bring in a good deal of betting action.
Soccer Florida is home to 3 NFL franchises at the Miami Dolphins, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Jacksonville Jaguars so Floridians will have lots of neighborhood NFL choices to bet on if it becomes legal.
The country also has a ton of NCAA teams with the largest being the Florida Gators and the Florida State Seminoles. Additionally drawing relatively massive crowds for college ball would be the Miami Hurricanes, the South Florida Bulls and the UCF Knights.
Basketball
Basketball is enormous in Florida and the state is represented by not one but two NBA teams: The Miami Heat and the Orlando Magic. When sports betting becomes lawful in Florida you can expect a lot of actions to center around these two franchises.
When it comes to NCAA basketball Florida’s biggest teams are the Florida Gators and the Florida State Seminoles.
Baseball
Two Major League Baseball teams call Florida house: The Miami Marlins along with the Tampa Bay Rays, both of which were founded in the 1990s. Florida is also home to MLB Spring Training annually which may also be potential to bet on later on.
Hockey
When you hear ice hockey you might not think about Florida however, the sport is relatively popular with two NHL franchises located in the state. The Tampa Bay Lighting and also the Florida Panthers that play home games at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida. Sunrise is a city just west of Ft. Lauderdale and just north of Miami.
Wagering on Other Sports
Once legalization takes effect, individuals in Florida is going to have the ability to wager on all manner of pro sports, not just teams based in the state. Gator and Seminole fans will also be excited to know that college sports should be available to wager on too, giving residents a chance to bet on heaps of college sports matches every weekend.
When the time does come we view legalized sports gambling in the state of Florida, it’d probably start with land established sportsbooks within a brick and mortar casino. Land-based gambling is generally accompanied by online sportsbooks that offer the exact same betting choices as live venues.
Can There Be No-Deposit Sports Betting in Florida?
Given that online sports betting remains illegal, the matter of no deposit gambling is now moot. Nonetheless, in the event that online sports gambling becomes lawful, residents of Florida can anticipate a similar approach to what other states are currently offering.
In countries like New York and Mississippi, bettors are usually required to make a deposit upon registration so as to create real money stakes. Nevertheless, no-deposit promotions are somewhat popular and should you find one, take it. Bear in mind, however, that any kind of advertising regarding no-deposit wagering usually includes a few strings attached.
Depositing rules differ from each online sportsbook you choose to use, so be sure to pay careful attention to playthrough requirements, withdrawal restrictions and any other fine print that comes with the offer.
What’s the Future of Online Sports Betting at Florida?
The most immediate key date will probably come sometime in March, as that is the next time the Florida Legislature will meet. Until then, there’s quite a lot of work that needs to be carried out as a way to figure out the implications of legalized sports betting on the existing compact between the state of Florida and the Seminole Tribe.
However, with more and more states opting for legalization, it’s likely a matter of when not if sports betting is becoming legal in Florida. Though the Sunshine State may be moving at a slower rate compared to its neighbours, we forecast it is simply a matter of time before legislation is passed to push legalization forward.
There’s also belief that a key part of Florida’s wait-and-see approach involves analyzing how other nations have employed legalized sports betting and utilizing that information to ascertain the best path ahead.
What This Means For Sports Gamblers at Florida
Have patience.
In other words, there is far too much cash up for grabs for Florida to ignore legalized sports betting forever, particularly as an increasing number of states move in that direction. While there are unique complications confronting Florida, nothing motivates politicians more than prospective earnings.
Add to the fact that folks in Florida love sports and already love to gamble and you have the recipe for a thriving sports betting market.
Until then, patience is expected from sports gamblers throughout the state. If you’re on the lookout for updates on the situation, check back regularly as we will update this post as new information comes in.
We advocate circling March, 2019, in your calendars as it marks a meeting of the state legislature where talks about how Florida intends to move on this matter are on the schedule.