Is sports betting legal in Florida?

In the United States, sports betting is recognized as legal entertainment, with casinos and bookmakers being licensed to operate. However, when considering individual regions and states, there are some differences. Naturally, each state has its own regulations and laws to tightly manage this form of entertainment. Florida is no exception to this. Therefore, to answer the question that many people wonder about, “Is sports betting legal in Florida?”, the Kingsoccertips admin will address it in today’s article.

Florida Sports Betting – Efforts to Legalize

While discussions in most states occur in public legislative hearings, sports betting negotiations in Florida largely take place behind the scenes. Firstly, any sports betting agreement in Florida requires negotiating a larger gambling compact between the state and the Seminole Tribe.

That’s precisely what happened in April 2021 when Governor Ron DeSantis signed a new compact with the Seminoles to bring some form of mobile sports betting statewide in Florida. State lawmakers approved this compact in May 2021, and the U.S. Department of the Interior allowed the tribal compact to legalize sports betting in Florida to be published in the Federal Register in August.

After several months of sports betting being in legal limbo, the Seminole Tribe successfully appealed the federal judge’s decision. The DC Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the district court’s decision blocking sports betting operations under the compact. That decision brought sports betting activities in Florida back into legality and provided the Seminole Tribe the ability to relaunch Hard Rock Bet at any time.

On November 1, 2023, the Seminole Tribe announced they would roll out retail sports betting at their casinos on December 7, 2023. The Hard Rock Bet app became available to all eligible users in the state on December 5.

The current situation of sports betting in Florida

26/02/2024 – In an email to customers, PrizePicks announces they will cease operations in Florida effective March 1.

15/02/2024 – Several DFS platforms, including Underdog, PrizePicks, and Betr, may exit Florida before March 1 after receiving a second cease-and-desist letter from regulatory agencies.

12/02/2024 – West Flagler files a petition to the United States Supreme Court on February 8, challenging the sports betting compact between the Seminole Tribe and the state of Florida.

The state of FL is very strict in sports betting

09/02/2024 – Several bills legalizing daily fantasy sports contests in Florida (SB 1566 and SB 1568) have been passed by Senate committees.

08/02/2024 – Hard Rock Bet is now the official sports betting partner of the Daytona International Speedway.

07/02/2024 – LSR’s predictions estimate that Super Bowl 58 in Florida will have a price tag of around $90.4 million, ranking fourth highest among any state.

Sports Betting in Florida – Legality

Florida Sports Betting Laws

Florida’s sports betting laws technically exist through tribal pacts since 2021. The treaty calls for the Seminole Tribe to share 13.75% of sports betting revenue with the state, as long as the Seminoles enter into sports betting contracts with at least three pari-mutuel race venues within three months.

Those agreements will allow pari-mutuels to launch their own interfaces but require wagering on the Seminole server. Without those agreements, that share of revenue would increase by 2% until those deals are implemented. Pari-mutuels will be keeping 40% of sports betting revenue. SB 2-A made the new gambling law. The Seminole Tribe owns the exclusive rights to sports betting in Florida.

Choosing the Right Sports Betting

Apart from Hard Rock Bet and horse race betting, there are no other legal sports betting websites accepting wagers from anyone in Florida. DraftKings launched its horse betting app, DK Horse, in Florida ahead of the 2023 Kentucky Derby.

There are many popular sports betting at FL

Many pari-mutuel locations in Florida offer betting services on jai alai, a sport similar to tennis in which players use hand-held baskets to hurl hard rubber balls at high speeds on a court with three walls. There are illegal offshore websites that provide sports betting to Florida residents.

Such websites do not have licenses from any US jurisdiction to legally accept bets from residents. Without state regulations, if there is an issue with an offshore betting app – for example, the app refuses to pay out winning bets or disappears along with customers’ money – you have no legal recourse. The only safe and protected way to bet on sports in the US is to place bets at a licensed sports betting website.

Legal Betting Sports in Florida

1. NFL Betting

Florida is home to three NFL teams: the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Miami Dolphins, and Jacksonville Jaguars. The NFL attracts the most betting interest compared to any other sport in the United States year after year.

2. NBA Betting

With two NBA teams, the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic, calling Florida home, basketball enjoys a large fan base in the Sunshine State. NBA remains a popular choice for betting due to the speed and excitement of the games.

3. MLB Betting

Florida hosts two Major League Baseball teams: the Miami Marlins and Tampa Bay Rays. Both teams compete to attract fans to the ballpark and serve as spring training destinations for half of the MLB teams, drawing fans with Grapefruit League activities every spring.

4. NHL & NCAA Betting

Florida is represented by two NHL teams, the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning. The Panthers made it to the Stanley Cup playoffs in 2023, while the Tampa Bay Lightning are recent Stanley Cup champions and remain one of the strongest teams in the league.

The NCAA and NHL have pretty high odds in Florida

Florida boasts three powerhouse college football teams: the Florida Gators, Florida State Seminoles, and Miami Hurricanes.

Is sports betting legal in Florida? FAQs

Who supervises sports betting in FL?

The Pari-Mutuel Betting Board handles other gambling regulations in the state, including the authority to exercise state supervisory responsibilities under the terms outlined in the agreement with the Seminole Tribe.

Who can bet on sports in Florida?

Anyone over the age of 21 can bet on sports in Florida. Excluded clients include key personnel from professional and collegiate sports teams, including coaches, players, coaches and officials as well as referees.

Is mobile sports betting legal in Florida?

Yes, but only through the Hard Rock Florida sports betting app, as of Dec. 5, 2023. The app is relaunched on November 7, 2023, but at the time only available to current Hard Rock app users. As of Dec. 5, it’s open to all sports bettors in the state of Florida, ages 21 and older.

Conclude

Through this article, we have provided you with an answer to the question “Is Sports Betting Legal in Florida?”. As mentioned, Florida regulates sports betting very strictly but is gradually loosening restrictions. However, at the current time, it may not be easy for you to place bets here. Therefore, players may use VPN software or mobile apps to place bets. In the future, we hope Florida will legalize online sports betting.