Florida has recently banned “Internet cafes” that were operating as unregulated online casinos, though the state’s view towards online gaming in general doesn’t appear to be antagonistic. However, there are significant hurdles due to the fact that FL casino gambling is the exclusive domain of the Seminole and Miccosukee tribal nations.
- Florida Amendment 3, the Voter Approval of Casino Gambling Initiative, was on the ballot in Florida as an initiated constitutional amendment on November 6, 2018. It was approved.
- Online gambling is illegal in Florida. Our advice is to obey the law no matter where you live. This does not, however, prevent us from discussing levels of risk involved with various activities. No one has ever been arrested or prosecuted for playing online casino games at Florida gambling sites.
- 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.
Is Online Gambling Allowed In Florida Casinos
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.
Is Online Gambling Allowed In Florida
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
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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.
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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.