NEWSLETTER
Legal sports betting popping all across the country. The best sports betting sites are launching in legal and regulated states. Can you bet on sports in Florida? Here’s what you need to know about Florida online sports betting.
Is Sports Betting Legal in Florida?
The Hard Rock Bet app is now live and available to everyone in Florida. At this time, all consumers in Florida can place online sports bets on the app. The Seminole Tribe has transitioned from their offering of limited access to existing Florida bettors.
In 2021, officials from the Seminole Tribe and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed an agreement to amend the state’s compact that allowed the Seminoles to offer online sports betting. Those changes were approved by the federal government by fall 2021. After a short time of it being live, lawsuits were filed to stop it, and a federal judge halted online sports betting in November 2021.
Since that ruling, several filings and appeals were launched, and now retail sports betting across Hard Rock/Seminole properties are live!
At the moment, the only live sports betting option in the state of Florida is Hard Rock Bet like stated above. It is legal, but still in the mix of court cases that we’re watching closely on the federal and state levels.
Most recently, attorneys for West Flagler and Associates filed their writ of certiorari to the SCOTUS to hear its case against the U.S. Dept. of the Interior. The case is pleading for the U.S. Supreme Court to not “allow the unlawful approach taken by Florida to become a model” for sports betting in the United States.
WFA argued that digital wagering by the state’s Amendment 3 requiring that gambling expansion be approved by voters. Additionally, both proponents and opponents in the case have previously argued that sports betting is squarely within the Amendment 3 definition, which is considered “casino gambling.”
In conclusion, the court will decide to either hear the case, refuse the case, or send the case to Leon County Court, a step that WFA avoided when it filed with the Florida Supreme Court.
Daily Fantasy Sports in Florida
Daily Fantasy Sports are unregulated in Florida but DraftKings, FanDuel, and PrizePicks do operate daily fantasy in the state. New players from the state can participate in the contests.
Following a recent cease and desist sent by the Florida Gaming Control Commission (FGCC) to several operators, a new bill could legalize fantasy sports in Florida.
The bill mentions the strict criteria that fantasy sports would be held to in the state. First, prizes for winners being clearly established and stated ahead of specific fantasy contests.
PrizePicks Pick ‘Em Arena is officially active in Florida. Pick ‘Em Arena is a unique peer-to-peer daily fantasy sports offering in which Florida players will select more or less on 2 or more player projections, choose a lineup fee, and submit their lineup to compete with peers.
Betting on Horse Racing in Florida
Pari-mutuel wagering is allowed for horse racing in the state of Florida. There are several popular race tracks such as Gulfstream Park, Gulfstream Park West, and Tampa Bay Downs. There is also online betting in Florida on horse racing. It can be done through sites such as TVG, and BetAmerica.
Top FL Sports Teams to Bet On
When sports betting is legal in Florida, there will be a lot of teams and events to bet on. It might be a while before that happens. There are several professional sports teams as well as major Division I universities for Florida bettors. FL sports betting would include the Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Heat, Miami Dolphins, Florida Panthers, and more.
There are the Tampa Bay Rays and Miami Marlins of Major League Baseball as well as the Orlando Magic in the NBA with the Heat. There is no shortage of teams to bet on in Florida.
When it comes to major college sports, there is Florida State, Florida, Miami, and more. If sports betting returns, there will be a lot of options available in Florida for sports fans and bettors. Sports betting is still not legal and in limbo.
Online Casino Gambling in Florida
Florida doesn’t offer online casino gambling. There are less than 10 states in the US that allow casino gambling on mobile devices. However, there are social casinos like High 5 Casino and more that allow users to play casino games with coins, diamonds, and more for a casino experience in most states.
Florida Online Sports Betting FAQs
Can I bet on sports in Florida?
Yes, the state has an agreement with the Seminole Tribe that allows bettors to make wagers with Hard Rock Bet. The Seminole Tribe has transitioned from their existing user trial period to officially allowing everyone in Florida to use their Hard Rock Bet platform. Also, the tribe will have retail locations at casinos.
Is there retail sports betting in Florida?
The Seminole Tribe announced it will be opening up retail sports betting at casinos in December 2023.
What was the sports betting compact in Florida?
The sports betting compact was an agreement between Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Seminole Tribe of Florida that allowed the tribe to conduct legal online and retail sports betting in the state. A lawsuit has blocked the compact for two years but now the Seminole Tribe is moving forward with betting.
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