Is Sports Betting Legal in Florida?

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The US Supreme Court ruled that the laws banning sports betting outside of Nevada unconstitutional.

Is Online Sports Betting Legal?

It will soon be legal in other states. However, it is currently illegal to place wagers across state lines. In fact, all of the Nevada casino sports betting apps are geofenced, and do not work when you are in any other state. The Wire Act makes it illegal to place wagers across state lines, and it states:

Whoever being engaged in the business of betting or wagering knowingly uses a wire communication facility for the transmission in interstate or foreign commerce of bets or wagers or information assisting in the placing of bets or wagers on any sporting event or contest, or for the transmission of a wire communication which entitles the recipient to receive money or credit as a result of bets or wagers, or for information assisting in the placing of bets or wagers, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.

The general consensus is the Wire Act will soon be repealed allowing someone to place a bet in a different state as long as they have legalized sports betting as well in that state. It is of the expectation that in the next few years Nevada, New Jersey, Delaware, Rhode Island, and any other state that legalizes sports betting will have an agreement that does not affect the ability to make bets in other states.

Where is Sports Betting Legal?

Nevada, Delaware, New Jersey, Mississippi and Rhode Island. As of now the only place you can make legal sports bets is through licensed casinos, and wager parlors in these states. Nevada is the only state with mobile wagering available, and those digital apps are even set up through casinos. The other states aren’t far behind, and it’s estimated in the near year they will have full service sports wagering available to their residents. The locations that allow sports betting will always depend on the state, and the requirements they make to open up a sportsbook.

How Does Online Sports Betting Work?

The online sports betting websites are engaging participation globally and thus customers can trust on the integrity of these bets. The websites allow you live betting of many popular sports including soccer, basketball, tennis, cycling, cricket, golf, boxing, snooker, rugby, volleyball and more! So if you are sports lover and you follow the players and their performance then you have a wonderful opportunity to make money out of this. You can start with small bets and once you understand the concept of odds and whole procedure, you can initiate bigger bets. To be realistic, you can’t expect to win on every bet consistently but gradually you will start building your capital. Leverage our best sports betting advice and strategies.

How Do Online Sports Betting Sites Work?

You can view and get familiar with the interface of the website by just visiting it. But to transact or placing a bet you would need to register. After registering, you can login with those credentials every time you visit the website and bet on the best odds and take advantage of greatest offers. Many websites credit welcome bonus in your account as a welcome bonus. Winbet bonus is equivalent to around 200 BGN which is like an icing on the cake!

The schedule for whole week is available on the website and you can track live score and notice the ups and downs in the odds in games across the globe! This is such a great platform to make best use of your interest and knowledge in sports. With live streaming of odds and real time streaming quotes, sports betting allow fans to be much more engaged in the sport they love!

What States Have Legal Sports Betting?

Nevada, Delaware, New Jersey, Mississippi and Rhode Island.

Nevada Following the repeal of the onerous 10%, Jackie Gaughan opened the first sports book inside a casino at the Union Plaza in 1975, overseen by legendary oddsmaker Bob Martin.

The following year, the prototype for the modern race and sports book was pioneered by notorious bookmaker Frank 'Lefty' Rosenthal at the Stardust. Lefty's plush book featured six giant TV screens with seating for 300 and it's been the model for Las Vegas race and sports books ever since.

On January 1, 1983, the tax on sports betting was further cut to 0.25%, making it a much more attractive proposition to Las Vegas resort-casinos, most of which now have race and sports books, whether their own or an outside franchise. Even though the casinos' edge remains low, sports betting is seen as a strong draw that gets people in the door, where they'll hopefully partake in some of a property's more profitable offerings.

Delaware will begin offering Las Vegas-style sports betting at its three casinos

...becoming the first state to open for business since the United States Supreme Court struck down the federal ban on state-sponsored sports gambling three weeks ago.Delaware Park, Dover Downs Hotel & Casino and Harrington Raceway & Casino will begin taking single-game bets on baseball, football, hockey, basketball, soccer, golf and auto racing at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, the state announced Thursday. Delaware has offered parlay wagers on the NFL through the state lottery since 2009, requiring bettors to make at least three picks per wager. Roughly $46 million was bet legally on the NFL in Delaware in 2017.On May 14, the Supreme Court ruled that the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA), the federal prohibition on state-sponsored sports betting, was unconstitutional, opening up a path for states interested in legalizing sports betting to do so.Delaware was one of a handful of states that received an exemption from PASPA, but was restricted to parlay wagers on only professional football. Starting Tuesday, single-game wagers will be allowed on anything except games involving Delaware-based teams.

New Jersey just legalized sports betting.

The establishment of sports betting in New Jersey has been years in the making as the state pursued a legal battle that culminated in last month’s landmark United States Supreme Court decision that overturned a law that effectively banned such gambling in most states. The State Legislature passed the bill on Thursday, but no casino or racetrack could begin taking bets until the governor signed it, leading gamblers, sports-betting operators and some lawmakers to urge Mr. Murphy to move quickly.

Rhode Island is getting into the sports betting game.

Gov. Gina Raimondo on Friday signed the state's fiscal year budget, which includes provisions for the state's two Twin River casinos -- located in Lincoln and Tiverton -- to offer sports betting through the Rhode Island lottery.The casinos are targeting the fall to begin offering sports betting, with Oct. 1 a potential opening day.On May 14, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act -- the federal ban on state-sponsored sports betting -- opening a path for states to choose whether to legalize sports betting. Rhode Island is the third state this year to pass sports betting legislation. Delaware and New Jersey are already up and running, and Mississippi and West Virginia are poised to be next to offer Las Vegas-style sports betting. Rhode Island sports betting will be restricted to in-person wagering to start, with no mobile options allowed.

Why is Sports Betting Illegal in Some States?

Many states feel sports betting is a taboo enterprise, or a below board way to make money. A large worry is young men, and women can potentially put themselves into debt betting sports, and losing, and major gambling problems can arise from it. Gambling problems have been known to destroy families, and some states are worried about that. Typically conservative states with more of a religious political base are more likely to oppose sports betting.

There is also a worry about integrity. Many states, and people feel that legalizing sports betting will make it much more likely for college, and professional athletes to be compromised by accepting bribes, and forms of payment in return for poor performance that may potentially affect the outcome of a game with large amounts of money bet on it. The potential risk of a “fixed” game weighs heavy in the eyes of many state politicians.

The bottom line is sports betting has been rampant for years, but it’s all been underground.

The estimated illegal sports betting market in the USA just last year was 180 billion, and that’s probably grossly underreported.

Now the government is interested in the tax dollars it brings in, and the jobs it creates. It’s no longer viewed as a disrespectful way to earn a living, or make money, and it will only grow both in the United States, and Internationally.

How Much Money Can You Make on Betting Sports?

A good sports bettor can make very large amounts of money because of the high odds involved. Your average sports bet pays out almost 90%, or carries a factor of 1.9/1, which means if you were to bet $100 you would actually profit 90% of that, or $90 in the event of a win. A good sports bettor, not even a great sports bettor, can make a very good amount of money by being right more than they are wrong. The returns in sports betting, if you are a winning bettor, can be significantly higher than the stock market, or any mutual fund, but it requires an extremely knowledgeable, patient, and highly experienced sports handicapper to achieve those results. A smart, experienced sports handicapper with well developed money management skills can make hedge fund manager money under the right circumstances. A great sports bettor, or a sports bettor that hits games at 56% + clip can become independently wealthy in a few years betting sports. If you’re able to get to that level, if could quite literally change your life.

What is a Sports Betting Money Management System?

When you are betting on sports you should always set aside a certain amount of money, which we refer to as your “bankroll”, in which you can afford to lose. Like with any type of gambling, you never want to bet betting on sports with money you cannot afford to lose. Set aside a certain amount of money that you can use for your bankroll for the week, the month, or the season. A general sports betting strategy for money management is to only make bets with 1%-5% of your bankroll. For example, if your bankroll for the NFL season was $1,000 you would be making $10-$50 bets on each NFL game you wanted to bet on. It is also very important that you do not chase your loses with bigger bets. It is common for some sports bettors to be down money and feel in order to win it back they need to increase the size of their bets. This is putting yourself in the wrong mindset and will often lead to you losing even more money. Work with the size of your bankroll, and look to slowly increase it over the length of the season.

Florida may be home to a number of great tribal casinos, but for the time being there is still no legal Florida sports betting. For this reason, instead of using this guide to recommend the best Florida legal online sportsbook, we’ve focused on the current state of gambling laws in Florida.

We’ve provided an overview of the other betting options you can enjoy when in Florida, as well as discussed what the future may bring for sports betting. On this site, we will only ever recommend you only sign up to licensed online bookmakers, so we’ve also explained why you should avoid illegal offshore bookmakers at all costs.

What Betting Options are Legal for Florida Residents

Contents

• What Betting Options are Legal for Florida Residents
• Frequently Asked Questions

Florida is no doubt a gambling-friendly state. Residents have long been free to bet on pari-mutuel racing and the lottery, and since the advent of tribal gaming in the late 80s, players can also enjoy slot machines and table games at casinos. Poker is also legal in the state, and talks of expanding current gambling laws means legal Florida online gambling may be a reality soon.

Is Daily Fantasy Legal in Florida?

Although it is not technically legal, Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) is tolerated by state authorities, and most major online bookmakers such as FanDuel and DraftKings accept players from Florida. For the time being, DFS is probably about as close as it gets to legal online sports betting in Florida.

DFS requires contestants to draft fantasy lineups of players from a sports league within a set budget. Contestants score points based on the performance of their chosen players in that round, and those who score the most points win the prize pool. There are a number of reputable sports betting sites that offer these games.

Are there Legal Offshore Sites for Florida Players

Florida does not have any set of laws that criminalize the use of offshore betting sites such as Bovada and MyBookie. However, this doesn’t mean to say that they are legal. As these sites aren’t licensed by a Florida regulator, they are not trusted sportsbooks. We only suggest signing up for legal websites with government-guaranteed safety and fairness standards.

Casinos

While there may be no legal online sports betting in Florida, the state offers a huge selection of casino games options for its residents and visitors. Some of the best of these are the eight Native American casinos that offer table games, slot machines and world-class entertainment.

We particularly recommend the guitar-shaped Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood. Florida also allows for slot machines and some table games at its racetracks, giving them the nickname of Racinos. These gaming facilities are not run by the tribes, meaning that tribes technically have no gaming exclusivity in Florida.

Racetrack Betting

Florida is known as being one of the best horse racing destinations in the world and is home to world-class tracks such as the Tampa Bay Downs Racecourse. At these racecourses, visitors can bet on both live greyhound and horse races that are taking place nationally and internationally.

As mentioned above, racetracks in the state also provide some great casino-style gambling opportunities. Horse racing in Florida is regulated by a state division of pari-mutuel wagering to ensure that the industry is efficient and fair, making it a safe betting option until legal online sports betting in Florida is allowed.

Card Rooms

If you’re looking for endless poker fun, then Florida is the state for you. There are hundreds of poker tables across the state located in card rooms at racinos, casinos, and individual card room establishments. These host everything from small games to huge tournaments with staggering jackpot prizes.

Poker games can be enjoyed 7 days a week, and the state even allows for no-limit games. As there is technically no law making online poker illegal in the state, some people choose to play online. However, like online sports betting, we suggest waiting for a licensed online casino before you trust an offshore site with your money.

Nearby States with Legal Sports Betting

Until there is a Florida legal online sportsbook available, state residents are free to travel to other states where sports betting is legal to place bets. Unfortunately, there are no bordering states that offer sports betting yet, though if it comes to betting on a major game like the Super Bowl, why not make a holiday of it?

Below, we’ve listed the closest states to Florida that offer legal sports betting.

• Mississippi
• North Carolina
• Tennessee

Florida Sports Betting Apps

What would Legal Sports Betting in Florida Look Like

Currently, Florida’s lawmakers are trying to come to an agreement with the tribes to decide on the terms of a sports betting bill. The tribes are unsatisfied by the proposal to allow non-tribal interests to offer sports betting, as they want their physical casinos to be the only sportsbooks in the state.

Once a Florida sports betting agreement is made, the bill will then have to be approved in a voter referendum, so the likelihood of sports betting will depend on if voters want further gambling expansion. All of these issues may mean that legal online sports betting in Florida may not happen for some time.

For the time being, you may be tempted to place bets at offshore bookmakers. In our experience, we have found that the safest betting sites are those that are regulated by state licensing agencies. These ensure that vulnerable players such as underage and problem gamblers are protected, and demand a certain degree of fairness.

It may seem that Florida sports betting legalization is a long shot, but where there’s a will, there’s a way. Both the tribes and lawmakers understand that there is money to be made from legal sports betting, and there are doubtless millions of Floridians wanting to bet on major sports leagues teams such as the Miami Dolphins or Miami Heat.

What are the Florida Gambling Laws

Florida’s history is dotted with huge milestones that have led it to have one of the richest gambling cultures in the United States. In fact, Florida sports betting was first legalized in 1932, though this was later repealed by subsequent governments. It was also the first place to allow for legal Native American gaming.

The Florida Lottery was established in 1986 and has since grown to be incredibly popular. Slot machines were legalized in 2004 at Seminole Tribal gaming facilities, resulting in an explosion of casino gaming popularity. This was boosted in 2010 when the $2 limit on poker games was lifted.

In many respects, Florida offers a gambling experience that few other states do. Aside from sports betting, players can enjoy almost all forms of popular gambling activities. Additionally, where many states’ tribal casinos are located in reservations away from large populations, a number of Florida’s casinos exist in major metropolitan areas.

Florida laws stipulate that players must be over the age of 18 to participate in the lottery, place bets on pari-mutuel races, or to legally play poker. As alcohol is served in most casinos, players need to be over 21 to enjoy table games and electronic gaming machines in Florida.

It’s likely that if in-person sports betting or legal online sports betting comes to Florida, players will need to be over the age of 18 to bet. However, this will all depend on where betting is available, as 18-year-olds can bet at Racinos freely but may have difficulty at a Seminole tribal casino.

Michigan Sports Betting Apps

What is the Future of Sports Betting in Florida?

For the time being, it seems as though legal sports betting in Florida may take a few more years to materialize. This is because there are major disagreements between the current state governor and the tribes. Even when an agreement is made, a strong campaign will need to convince state voters to approve it.

Nevertheless, if legal online sports betting in Florida happens, we have no doubt that it will be one of the most popular legal sport betting states in the country, as the state is represented in every major sports league. For the time being, bettors will need to travel out of state to safely and legally place sports bets.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have any more questions about Florida sports betting and whether or not you are able to make legal online bets? In this section, we have answered a number of questions that are commonly asked about Florida gambling laws.

Is online gambling and sports betting legal in Florida?

Both online gambling and sports betting are not legal in Florida. Although there is no law that technically says they are illegal either, the lack of legalization means these activities are not licensed. For this reason, there is nothing stopping dangerous websites from taking advantage of players and ripping them off.

What is the Florida legal gambling age?

This depends on what you bet on. There are two minimum gambling ages in Florida. Firstly, players must be over the age of 18 to gamble at racetracks, to play poker, to sign up for DFS or to play the lottery. Players must be over the age of 21 to play at the state’s Seminole gaming facilities.

Are offshore bookmaker sites legal and safe?

Though offshore bookmakers are not technically illegal, this does not mean that they are safe. Any website that accepts players from unlicensed or illegal markets is not trustworthy, as it proves that they are more concerned about profiting than respecting local laws.

Can I use the FanDuel or DraftKings app in Florida?

Players can use both FanDuel and DraftKings in Florida, making them the closest thing to a legal Florida sports betting app available. However, players can only use them to play daily fantasy sports, with their sportsbook functions disabled in the state until legal online sports betting in Florida is legalized. So it is currently not possible to bet on NFL until new laws are put in place.