Florida Casinos. Short Summary: Florida is not particularly liberal when it comes to its gaming laws, but you can find most of the gambling options available to states like Nevada if you look hard enough. With exception to Roulette and Craps, the Tribal Casinos. Florida Online Gambling From dog, harness and thoroughbred horse racing tracks to the fast-paced Jai Alai stadiums, poker rooms, FL gambling boats, brick-and-mortar lottery retail outlets and even your.

  • 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

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.

Age Requirements
18 in venues where no liquor is served; 21 otherwise
Approximate Annual Gambling Revenue
$2 billion
Approximate Annual Gambling Taxes
$393 million
Number of Commercial Casinos
2
Number of Rancinos
25
Number of Tribal Casinos
8
Casino Regulatory Body
Florida Div. of Consumer Services
Lottery National Rankings
3rd

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.

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.

Can you play online slots and card games for real money in Florida? This is one of the most asked questions these days, especially since the Supreme Court struck down PASPA Act in May 2018.

The short answer is that you can bet on horse racing at designated areas throughout the sunshine state. You can also play poker, slots, blackjack, and roulette. But when it comes to online gambling, it’s the one issue Florida doesn’t want to discuss.

Discover the reasons why below and also find out how you can gamble online without breaking state laws.

Gambling Laws in Florida: A Gray Area

Land-based gambling has been legal in Florida since 2004. But it’s not without limitations. Investors can operate casinos in the state, provided they don’t offer sports betting. When we say sports, we mean football, soccer, basketball, hockey, baseball, and all other games besides horse racing.

Online gambling sites for real money

For years, greyhound racing was also legal in Florida. But beginning next year, it will be illegal to offer greyhound betting in the state.

Florida’s gambling laws don’t mention online casinos, though. And that means online gambling is a grey area in the state. This also means you can play online slots and card games through out-of-state websites without breaking Florida’s gambling laws.

Any Gambling Laws in the pipeline?

Florida’s governor, Rick Scott, has repeatedly said he’s against online gambling. This is surprising considering that his primary donor is casino billionaire Sheldon Adelson of the Las Vegas Sands.

However, it’s also not surprising when you realize Adelson is against online casinos. He views them as a threat to his land-based establishments.

Another reason Florida won’t legalize online gambling soon regards a 2018 amendment that prohibits legislators from taking gambling bills soon.

Online Casinos in Florida

As mentioned, you can play online casino games in Florida without breaking state laws. The safest way to do this is to find a licensed online casino that accepts players from Florida. A license shows it’s a genuine business. Knowing it allows Floridians gives you the confidence you can play and withdraw your winnings stress-free.

You can find a list of the best Florida gambling sites at online-gambling.com. But read on to discover what you ought to check when looking for a reliable online casino in Florida.

  • Games Offered

Many online casinos in the US offer games from software providers licensed to operate in the country. That means Real Time Gaming and Scientific Gaming. Games from European developers not permitted in the US are often not offered.

But now that more states are legalizing online casinos, it will soon be possible to play games from leading developers: NetEnt, Microgaming, Playtech, Play’n GO, Evolution Gaming, and BTG.

With that in mind, the average online casino in Florida offers about 300 slots and card games. That’s more than enough games to play in a day or week. However, strive to learn about many games so that you have a list of the best-paying, top-rated games to play.

  • Payments and Policies

Because Florida doesn’t permit online gambling, it can be challenging to deposit money from your bank to a casino. To avoid this, look for gambling sites that accept credit cards, e-wallets or cryptocurrencies.

Florida Online Gambling Sites

Alternatively, find a casino with payment systems that don’t show you’re making gambling payments. That way, your local bank won’t flag your payments.

Still on deposits, you want a casino with low minimum deposits and high maximums. Preferably, you want a site that doesn’t charge for payments. But if present, they should be low.

Another critical checkpoint is the speed of withdrawing your money. When you win at a casino, you want to cash out before you think of gambling the profits. A good casino should process your payment within a day or two.

  • Bonuses and Policies

At nearly all online casinos, there’s a bonus for first-time players. In many cases, you receive a 100% match of your first deposit. If you top up $100, you get $100 as a bonus. This doubles your bankroll and helps increase your winning potential.

Should you claim casino bonuses? Read their terms and conditions first. Discover the devil in the details and decide whether the bonus gives you value for money. Information about wagering requirements is the devil we are talking about.

It describes the amount you need to spend to withdraw your bonus winnings. It is mainly calculated as a multiple of your bonus amount. Let’s say you claim $100. The wager could be 40x your bonus.

If the wager amount is too much, you’ll never withdraw your bonus winnings. In that case, the bonus isn’t worth your time or money.

  • Mobile Compatibility

Online Gambling Sites For Real Money

Let’s face it. Mobile gaming is the future of gaming. Even video game developers, such as the CEO of Epic Games, believes so. And you probably also appreciate mobile gaming if you have a few gaming apps on your iPhone.

Online Casino Florida

Florida Online Gambling Sites

The best online casinos let you play casino games through a mobile site or app. Either option is excellent. But you need to review these platforms to ensure the apps and websites don’t crash and that they are responsive.

The best part about mobile casinos is that they offer everything you can find on their desktop counterparts. Games have stellar graphics. Bonuses are in plenty, and you can contact customer support through a few clicks.

  • Quality Customer Service

One of the primary pain points of online casino players in the US regards customer support. Operators don’t seem to get it. Players appreciate quick and helpful replies. They like their issues to be resolved promptly.

But for many operators, customer service doesn’t seem to be a top priority. So, before you sign up at a new casino, find out how you can contact them. Send an email, make a call, or drop a message through their chatbot.

Online Gambling Legal Florida

If you receive a quick response, there’s a chance you’re at a reliable casino. If no one replies to your queries, consider joining a different operator.