With the announcement of an October 15, 2021, launch date, Florida is primed to become the most populous state in the U.S. to offer legal mobile sports betting.
On May 25, 2021, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a gaming compact that would allow Florida’s Seminole Tribe to offer retail and online sports betting in the Sunshine State. After gaining federal approval on August 6, 2021, it's now just a matter of time before sports gambling arrives in Florida.
This guide to Florida sports betting will serve as your go-to resource for the latest news and updates over the coming months.
Population: 21.6 million
Legal age for sports betting: 21
Online sports betting: Coming soon
Retail sportsbooks: Coming soon
Sports betting revenue: N/A
Nearly, yes. The state’s pact with the Seminole Tribe was approved by the U.S. Department of the Interior on August 6, 2021. Now that the agreement has been published in the Federal Register, it's officially considered in effect and on track to launch on October 15, 2021. Bettors will need to sit tight as they wait for retail and online sportsbooks to set up shop in the Sunshine State.
Engage with our interactive legal tracker for the latest information on sports wagering legislation across the country.
Florida is now on track to offer retail and mobile sports betting in 2021. Some legal battles are expected to ensue, even after the federal government deemed the Seminole-Florida gaming compact acceptable, but all signs point to an October 15, 2021 launch.
Here’s a summary of Florida’s sports betting journey to date:
Sports betting could be live in the Sunshine State as early as October 15, 2021. The main point of contention with Florida’s new gaming pact was the inclusion of state-wide mobile betting (mobile bets with tribal casinos must be placed on tribal land). Now that the U.S. Department of the Interior has deemed the agreement to be compliant with the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IRGA) — citing the physical location of the tribe’s servers — the Seminole Tribe will be free to move forward with both retail and online sportsbooks.
Expect the Hard Rock Casino to dominate the Florida sports betting scene early on. The Hard Rock Sportsbook and the Hard Rock Digital Sportsbook will almost certainly be the first retail and mobile sportsbooks to launch in the Sunshine State.
Adults 21 and over will be permitted to place legal sports wagers on a legal sportsbook app or website or in person at a tribal casino.
Here's a brief look at what's in store for Florida sports bettors:
Legal ageIf you’re 21 or older, you will be allowed to place a sports bet in Florida.
Retail sportsbooksIt would stand to reason that brick-and-mortar sportsbooks will be located in most if not all of Florida’s tribal casinos. Pari-mutuel betting facilities were also in line to partner with the Seminole Tribe and offer sports betting, but the Department of the Interior nixed those plans.
Hard Rock Sportsbook in Hollywood, FL will be a top option for in-person betting.
Mobile bettingMobile betting will be permitted in Florida. Sports bettors will be able to place wagers from anywhere in the state through the Seminole Tribe’s servers. These servers will be located on tribal lands.
Remote registrationFlorida sports bettors will almost assuredly be permitted to register with online sportsbooks from anywhere in the state. With mobile betting approved, Floridians are not likely to be required to visit a casino to register in person.
Within state bordersIn states that have legalized sports betting, online sportsbooks use geofencing to ensure all users have both feet firmly planted in the state. This process will be no different in Florida.
Taxable winningsWith no state income tax, Florida sports bettors will only need to fork over the federally mandated 24% on gambling winnings over $600. Luckily, gambling losses can offset these winnings as well.
Few options exist if Floridians are looking for alternative locations to place sports bets while they wait for legal wagering in the Sunshine State. Mississippi has legalized sports betting — but only in licensed casinos. Tennessee, on the other hand, is the nearest option for mobile betting.
With mobile sports betting on the way, Floridians are set to benefit from the convenience of placing wagers anywhere within state lines.
However, with the Seminole Tribe owning exclusive rights to offer sports betting in Florida, bettors will be unlikely to be offered the most favorable betting lines.
With legalized retail and mobile sports betting, Florida sports bettors will have the option of visiting a physical sportsbook or legal sports betting website or app to get started.
All sportsbooks will run through Florida’s Seminole Tribe. Still, it will be important to identify which one best suits your betting needs.
Keep an eye on sign-up bonuses, betting lines, and the ease of making deposits and withdrawals. Don’t forget to read over some reviews as they become available.
Now that mobile sports betting has been deemed acceptable in Florida, there should be no reason to limit bettors to in-person registration. Florida will very likely allow users to register, make deposits, and place bets — all from the comfort of their own homes or anywhere else in the state.
Players should expect sign-up bonuses in Florida, but we’re not sure what they will look like yet. The Seminole Tribe will have a monopoly on all of the state’s sports betting, so they may not feel the need to convince Floridians to choose their platforms. Popular bonuses like deposit matches, risk-free bets, and no-deposit bonuses could still be offered here.
Sportsbooks offer a variety of methods to fund your account. Florida sports bettors will be able to use PayPal, credit cards, debit cards, bank transfers, PayNearMe, or cash when gambling in person.
Don’t forget to familiarize yourself with the relevant terms and conditions to avoid any unexpected transaction fees.
You’ll be able to find all of the popular bet types when sports betting comes to the Sunshine State. These include moneylines, point spreads, Over/Unders (totals), parlays, prop bets, and futures.
After you’ve chosen a sportsbook, claimed your bonus, and funded your account, you’ll be ready to place your first sports wager. Remember, if you find superior odds elsewhere, there’ll be nothing stopping you from hopping over to another sportsbook.
Withdrawing your sports bet winnings should be straightforward in Florida. These transactions tend to take a bit longer to process than deposits, so don’t be surprised if you have to wait a few days to access your bankroll.
Reading the odds Reading sports betting odds is not as difficult as it may seem. American odds are used as the default option in the United States, and they use minus (-) and plus (+) signs to indicate favorites and underdogs.
Favorites are shown with a minus sign, and the number you see tells you the amount you would have to wager to win $100. For example, -160 odds show you that a $160 bet would net you $100 in winnings.
Underdogs are slightly different. A plus sign is used to show the amount you’d stand to win when placing a $100 bet. For example, +110 odds tell you a $100 bet would lead to $110 in profit.
Some sportsbooks also show odds as fractions and decimals. Check out our odds converter to cycle through all three types of betting odds.
Floridians are not permitted to bet on any sporting event yet. When sports betting kicks off later in 2021, all professional, college, and Olympic sports should be on the table.
Illegal offshore betting websites do operate in Florida, but it’s best to steer clear of these sportsbooks as they are unlicensed and have been known to mishandle user accounts.
PoliticsPolitics will be off-limits in Florida. No state has legalized this type of wagering to date.
Entertainment award ceremoniesFlorida isn't likely to permit betting on celebrity award shows such as the Grammy Awards or Oscars.
EsportsIt remains to be seen if esports betting will come to Florida. For now, there is no way to legally bet on esports in the Sunshine State.
It’s not yet known if bettors will be permitted to place wagers on Florida-based college teams — or college games taking place in Florida. Individual player prop bets will be off-limits, however.
It’s ok to place a bet on your favorite team — but always ensure your bets are well-researched and not clouded by your home team bias. Our how to bet guides are an excellent resource for new and intermediate bettors alike.
Floridians have plenty of gambling options. While tribal casinos generate the bulk of the betting action, the Sunshine State is also home to one of the largest horse racing markets in the nation. In fact, pari-mutuel horse race betting is the only form of legal online gambling in Florida.
CasinoThe Seminole Tribe owns and operates six major casinos in Florida, with the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Hollywood standing as its most prominent facility. The Hard Rock features over 3000 slots, almost 200 table games, and live poker.
The Miccosukee tribe operates a seventh tribal casino, while eight pari-mutuel facilities offer slots, poker games, horse racing, and jai alai betting.
Online casinos are not permitted in Florida, but the addition of online sports betting could open the door to future online gambling discussions. The Seminole Tribe does have a social casino app, Seminole Social Casino, where players can play a variety of table games and slots for non-cash prizes.
PokerNearly all of Florida’s tribal casinos feature several poker tables, with Seminole Hard Rock boasting over 40 tables itself.
There are no legal online poker websites for Floridians to enjoy. Global Poker, a sweepstakes website, is the only option for card sharks in the Sunshine State.
Horse racingHorse racing is legal in Florida. The most popular tracks include Gulfstream Park, Hialeah Park, Tampa Bay Downs, and Isle Casino Pompano Park.
Pari-mutuel horse race betting is allowed, and it’s the only form of online betting that is legal in the Sunshine State. Online bets can be placed in Florida using TwinSpires, TVG, and BetAmerica. The Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering oversees all betting activity.
Daily Fantasy SportsDaily Fantasy Sports remain unregulated in Florida. DraftKings and FanDuel continue to operate in the state.
The state of Florida offers numerous resources to tackle problem gambling and support those who suffer from gambling addiction. The Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling is the best resource available.
Individuals may voluntarily exclude themselves from all betting activity by joining Florida’s self-exclusion program. With the soon-to-be arrival of sportsbooks, players will be given tools to limit their betting activity. Options to set deposit, wager, and loss limits will allow players to take preemptive measures to restrict their gambling activity.
States have been permitted to legalize and regulate sports betting since 2018. The following states have already done so: Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
Some sportsbooks in Florida may appear to be legitimate, but any website currently operating in the Sunshine State is illegal. Legal, regulated options will be coming soon, so don't risk your hard-earned cash with sportsbooks that don't play by the rules.
Effectively, yes. Sports betting has been federally approved and Florida is aiming to launch its first sportsbooks on October 15, 2021.
You can’t gamble on sports in Florida yet, but soon you’ll be able to place wagers online or at a retail sportsbook.
There is no way to place any type of sports bet in Florida. Soon, however, all of the popular bet types will be available online and in retail sportsbooks.
There are no online sportsbooks in Florida. The Hard Rock Sportsbook will most likely be the first to open its virtual doors in Florida.
Yes, but you may only place online bets on horse races. Florida does not allow any other form of online gambling at the moment. This is likely to change on October 15, 2021.
This remains to be seen. The Seminole Tribe may look to set their own odds in Florida. If third-party providers eventually work their way into the Florida market, they will use odds found in Vegas to be sure.
The minimum age to bet in Florida is 21.
No, Bet365 is not licensed to operate in Florida.
There are no legal online or retail options at the moment — but Florida's first sportsbook(s) could launch as early as October 15, 2021.
Once legal sports betting arrives, you’ll be able to place wagers on Florida’s professional (and most likely college) teams.
No. Florida’s latest bid for sports betting states that bettors must be physically present in Florida. Therefore, both residents and visitors will be eligible to place sports bets.
Florida is set to pull in $2.5 billion in revenue sharing over the next five years, as per their agreement with the Seminole Tribe.
You can’t place a sports bet in Florida yet. In the near future, sports bets will be placed online or at a tribal casino.
With mobile sports betting on the way, expect Florida's most populous cities to drive the betting action. Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa Bay, and Florida should lead the charge.
