Legal Florida Sports Betting

Is Sports Betting Legal In Florida?

Online gambling with a USA sportsbook site that is operating from within a regulated international location does not break any existing Florida laws or gaming regulations at the federal level. 18 and over sports bettors can safely and legally wager on sports at any of the top online sportsbooks we list above.

Domestic sports betting at the Hard Rock Sportsbook Florida locations and via their mobile betting app were briefly available following their legalization in 2021 but remain dormant until a pending lawsuit is resolved. For now, offshore sportsbooks are the best (and only) legal betting option in Florida.

Can You Bet On Sports In Florida Online?

Yes. While domestic Florida sportsbooks sort out their legal issues in court, the USA's best offshore sports betting sites are open for business in the Sunshine State and are accepting members starting at the age of 18 years old.

If and when domestic sports betting returns to Florida, the minimum age will be 21 years old to participate. Offshore sportsbooks can legally accept FL sports bettors at 18 and over, which is just one of many perks these international gambling sites offer their users.

How To Bet On Sports In Florida Legally

Currently, domestic sports betting options in Florida are on hold and tangled up in litigation. The best option for placing a legal sports bet in Florida is with an online sportsbook based in an international destination.

The offshore Florida sportsbooks linked to above top our review staff's rankings and are our best recommendations for legally betting on sports in the area. The only thing holding 18+ sports gamblers in FL from placing a bet is creating a membership. Here's how it's done.

• Browse through each Florida sportsbook we recommend in our list of online sports betting site reviews and consider joining more than one so that bettors can shop the odds.
• From the top of any page at the online sportsbook, click on the join button to initiate the membership creation process.
• Fill out new account profiles and create a FL sportsbook login.
• Upload the first sportsbook deposit. Offshore sportsbooks allow for cryptocurrency deposits in addition to standard US Dollar options.
• Click on the sportsbook tab from any page and place a bet on game lines, props, futures, and more!

Where Can I Bet On Sports In Florida?

Florida has all legal forms of sports betting (in-person, online, mobile, offshore) available to regional gamblers but domestic options are currently shuttered due to a lawsuit that appears poised for a lengthy battle.

The best betting sites Florida has to offer are listed above with convenient links provided for each. We invite readers to investigate each of these offshore Florida sportsbooks and learn first-hand why our staff of betting experts rank them so highly.

Until domestic Florida sports betting returns, offshore sportsbook sites are the only legal avenue for gamblers in the state.

When Will Sports Betting Be Legal In Florida at Local Sportsbooks?

The state legislature has already legalized sports betting in Florida and granted full rights to the Seminole Tribe of Florida to operate on reservation lands both in-person and online/mobile sportsbooks.

All Hard Rock Florida venues ceased operations when a federal case was presented that challenged the lawfulness of the gaming compact in place with Florida and the Seminole Tribe.

Unfortunately, due to the appeal process, there is no way to tell when domestic sports betting in FL will once again attain legal status. For now, the best legal sportsbooks in Florida are contained and linked to within this guide.

Do Florida Seminole Tribe Casinos Offer Sports Betting?

The Seminole Tribe of Florida sports betting app and domestic sportsbooks at Hard Rock Casino locations were briefly open in 2021 but then shut down once judicial proceedings brought their legal status into question.

Florida and the Seminole Tribe are ready to play ball. The question is, can they satisfy all third-party interests and re-open Florida Hard Rock Sportsbooks once again? The future is uncertain as it depends on the strength of legal arguments and potential bias on the bench.

Legal Florida Sports Betting Apps

When it comes to Florida sports betting, mobile apps are where a majority of wagers are placed. The same is true across the country, and is evident by sportsbook revenue reports that reveal significant growth the second they debut.

Domestic Florida sportsbook apps are legal but cannot be downloaded at the Seminole Hard Rock website right now because pending legal action in the federal court system has everything tied up until a judgment is issued.

Until that happens, the offshore sportsbook vendors in our list above can accept bets from FL-based gamblers using their mobile sports betting apps on Apple or Android smartphones and tablets.

Major Sports To Bet On In Florida

FL is a hotbed for professional and college sports and is often the host of major athletic events each year. The passion for local sports is matched by a desire to wager on games online, which can be done using any of the top books we suggest on this page.

NFL Betting - Florida

Three pro football teams call FL home, inspiring betting on the NFL each Sunday during the regular season and playoffs. The Buccaneers and the Dolphins have each won 2 Lombardi Trophies, but all three franchises are featured in the futures odds for Super Bowl betting each year until they are eliminated from contention.

• Betting On The Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Betting On The Miami Dolphins
• Betting On The Jacksonville Jaguars

College Football Betting In Florida

NCAAF is well represented in the state of Florida with members of the SEC and ACC, two of the Power 5 conferences in college football. Naturally, college football betting is a booming industry in Florida with so many powerhouse programs scattered throughout.

The Miami Hurricanes (5), FSU Seminoles (3), and Florida Gators (3) have won College Football National Championships. The following teams compete at the top level of college football in Florida.

• Betting On The Florida State Seminoles
• Betting On The Miami Hurricanes
• Betting On The Florida Gators
• University of South Florida (USF) Bulls
• Central Florida (UCF) Knights
• Florida International University (FIU) Panthers
• Florida A&M University
• Bethune-Cookman Wildcats
• Florida Atlantic Owls
• Stetson Hatters

FL College Basketball Betting

The Florida-based colleges and universities listed in the section above are also competitive in the realm of NCAAB. College basketball betting is a big deal in the state of Florida, and often many of the above programs are in play for March Madness gambling once the tournament fields are set.

The Florida Gators have won two NCAA College Basketball National Championships.

Florida NHL Betting

Despite the warm climate, the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning are top contenders for a Stanley Cup each season, and are a featured element of hockey betting at online sportsbook sites that serve FL. The Lightning have won two Stanley Cups and the Panthers have yet to secure an NHL Championship. However, now is the time to check out USA NHL betting lines.

• Tampa Bay Lightning Betting
• Betting on the Florida Panthers

Florida NBA Betting

Each fall, NBA betting begins as Florida's pro basketball teams take to the court to try and earn a championship. The Miami Heat have won three NBA titles since they were established in 1988, while the Orlando Magic are still chasing their first NBA Finals series win.

• Betting on the Miami Heat
• Betting on the Orlando Magic

MLB Betting In FL

Not only does South Florida play host to half of pro baseball's spring training, but MLB betting also takes a front seat at online sportsbooks once preseason, regular season, and playoff games get underway.

Florida is home to two MLB franchises. The Marlins have won two World Series and the Rays are still hunting their first.

• Miami Marlins Betting
• Betting on the Tampa Bay Rays

MLS Betting In Florida

Soccer betting is an additional highlight of the professional sports scene in FL, with two franchises located in Miami and Orlando. MLS betting lines for each game will be available at the top offshore sportsbook sites catering to the Florida area.

• Inter Miami CF (Major League Soccer)
• Orlando City SC (MLS)

Federal Laws Affecting Sports Betting In Florida

There are two specific federal laws that hold bearing concerning sports betting in the United States and hence in Florida. We have a page on each of these laws for those of you who would like an in-depth look at them; The Federal Wire Act, and the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA).

The Federal Wire Act prohibits any type of US-based online sports betting entity from offering their services across state lines, and the UIGEA law provides regulatory oversight concerning how gambling-related transactions can be processed. Both of these laws apply to gambling operations and not to players themselves.

While these laws effectively regulate the market when it comes to stateside online sports betting, their effectiveness ends at US borders. These laws do not reach beyond the borders of the United States and do not prohibit US residents from engaging in sports betting either online or offline that is located, licensed, and regulated outside of the United States.

State Gambling Laws Affecting Sports Betting in Florida

There are numerous gambling laws in the state of Florida that regulate existing gambling businesses that are allowed to operate. Among those are laws regulating tribal gambling, horse racing, dog racing, card rooms, and bingo halls.

A negative run-in with illegal gambling at Internet Cafes has driven the state to develop laws outlawing these types of business and state-regulated online gambling (HB155). On the other hand, discussions remain active concerning the possibility of embracing legal online poker gambling within the state.

A few efforts have been made to see this through, however, no additional bills have been presented.

History Of Florida Sports

The Sunshine State has a total of nine professional sports franchises among the four major professional sports leagues (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL) and has won a combined total of:

• 4 Super Bowl titles (Dolphins 2, Buccaneers 2)
• 3 NBA Finals championships (Miami Heat 3)
• 2 World Series championships (Miami Marlins 2),
• 2 Stanley Cup Titles (Tampa Bay Lightning 2).

Florida added the state’s first permanent professional sports team to play in a major sports league when the American Football League (which would eventually combine with the NFL) accepted the Miami Dolphins into the league in 1966. The state also has three universities (FSU, Miami, UF) that play in NCAA Division I college football in a Power 5 Conference (SEC: UF; ACC: FSU, Miami).

In addition to the success of the state’s many professional and collegiate sports teams, Florida is known for producing some of the best high school athletic talent in the country across all sports.

Coaches, recruiters, and scouts from pro and college teams consistently rank the state as one of the best in the country at training athletes and conditioning them for later success. Exceptional athletes born in the state of Florida include

• NFL Hall of Famers such as DT Warren Sapp
• MLB Ray Lewis
• WR Michael Irvin
• Emmitt Smith
• Deion Sanders
• MLB greats Chipper Jones and Alex Rodriguez
• NBA Superstars Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady
• Hall of Famer David Robinson.