Online Casinos in Florida

As the third most crowded U.S. state with a population of over 21 million and a solid income per capita of $31,359 (as of 2018), Florida is much more than just a place to rest on the seaside of the Atlantic Ocean. The region is abundant with gambling opportunities, though all land-based casinos except one are controlled by the Seminole Indian tribe. As for online gambling in Florida, it’s not regulated, which is why it’s up to you whether to play at international online websites or exclusively home-based brick-and-mortar casinos.

Laws Affecting Online Gambling in Florida

There are two levels on which the scope of gambling is defined in the state – the router (federal) level, which is represented by the U.S. Federal law empowers U.S. states to establish gambling rules independently, and the inner (in-state) one, represented by Chapter 849 of the Florida Constitution. The latter defines statues for all gambling games in the state, but, surprisingly enough, it does not address online gambling at all, leaving it unregulated.

Therefore, answering the burning question ‘is online gambling legal in Florida,’ we can safely say that, since there are no laws or other limitations regarding the status of online gambling (and the ability of players to access international gambling online websites as well), players from Florida are free to access any websites they want. On the other hand, though, the absence of Florida online gambling laws means that they are not protected when dealing with online casinos and hence should select only reputable venues, preferably those licensed by credible organizations (such as, for example, the UK Gambling Commission).

Sports Betting in Florida

Sports betting in Florida is on the way to legalization. According to the bills filed for the upcoming 2020 legislative session, sports betting would be done via the lottery and additional authorized licensees, which would acquire licenses at a cost of $100,000 per one license and would pay a 15% tax rate on their revenues. It looks plausible on paper, but in reality, there are several hurdles to overcome, the main of which is the reluctance of the Seminole Tribe – the main revenue-generator – to put up with the bills which would force it to pay the state.

Meanwhile – that is, until the dust around online sports betting settles – you can indulge in online sports betting at international sportsbooks (remember – no punishment for that), the state lottery, charitable gambling (bingo), poker, or put wagers on horse or dog races.

Florida provides plenty of opportunities for gamblers of all types. If you are willing to stay on the legal side of the fence, eight land-based casinos at your service; if you dare to explore your horizons, dozens of high-quality online casinos and sports bookies are at hand as well.

Interesting Facts about Online Gambling in Florida

While the history of Florida online gambling is yet to be written, the emergence of land-based gambling in the state dates back to the times of the Great Depression. It actually started with the legalization of pari-mutuel betting in 1932 to draw more revenues to the state treasury, followed by the legalization of Jai-Alai and slot machines in 1935 and bingo about four and a half decades later.

However, it was not until 2004 that traditional brick-and-mortar gambling halls opened their doors to the general public, which means land-based gambling is still relatively new to Floridians. That said, it’s developing pretty fast: there are already more than 130 casinos scattered around the state, which makes Florida one of the most advanced states in terms of accessibility of offline casinos, yet it’s very dependent on Indian tribes. Only $500 million out of the total $2.5 billion of yearly revenues from gambling in Florida belongs to non-tribal gambling groups – the rest is generated mostly by the Seminole tribe running seven casinos and a little by a single Miccosukee-run facility.

Getting Help for Problem Gambling in Florida

Even though according to the state laws, there are no legal U.S. gambling sites authorized to accept players from Florida, anyone suffering from gambling addiction (including online gamblers and their relatives) can contact the following organizations for professional help:

• National Problem Gambling Helpline, 1-800-522-4700 for calls, 1-800-522-4700 for text messages.
• Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling, 407-865-6200.
• Florida Department of Health, the fact sheet on problem gambling is available by the link.
• Gamblers Anonymous, an experience-sharing fellowship of men and women fighting gambling addiction and gambling-related problems.
• Gam-Anon, a self-help organization for compulsive gamblers.
• GamTalk, a 24/7 online peer support forum.

For those not sure whether they have the gambling problem, there are various screening tools to define if the problem is real and the degree of it.

Unlike the unregulated online gambling in Florida, offline gambling life is welling up, though mostly inside the casinos owned by the Seminole tribe. It would not be an exaggeration to say that this tribe controls the whole gambling field in Florida – after all, it owns seven of eight casinos in the state and accounts for the lion’s share of the total state gambling-driven revenue.

One way or another, there are more than 25,000 slots and hundreds of table games to take advantage of in Florida, either in one of the casinos reviewed below or, for example, at Miccosukee Resort and Gaming Center run by the Miccosukee tribe.

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino

If there was a place on Earth when the party never ends, that place would be Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, a gigantic entertainment property comprising more than 140,000 square feet of the casino floor, a hotel tower, a vast poker room, and a lagoon-style pool with heaps of bars and restaurants splattered around.

• Slots. More than 3,000 slots represent every imaginable kind of machine, from one-armed bandits to advanced slots with non-linear storylines and an abundance of special features. The range of denominations starts at one cent and runs up to five dollars, so finding the machine of your budget is never a problem.
• Table games. Three Card Poker, Pai Gow Poker, Blackjack, Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker, Mini-Baccarat, Casino War, and Let it Ride are represented at more than 200 playing tables of all bet ranges, including a renovated High-Limit Table Room.
• Poker. Live sports action on a large screen projector in a comfortable setting of an award-winning poker room, more than 40 tables with various poker variations, and daily tournaments make you believe you are a real poker star.

The whopping list of amenities might make you think the casino is new, but actually, it has been in the game for a while. Opened on May 11, 2004, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino has been uniting all the best features of land-based gambling under its roof, winning the hearts of millions of gamblers all over the United States (not for nothing the casino is located near Hollywood!).

Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee

Located in the town of Immokalee, 35 miles from Naples, Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee is another top-class gambling venue owned and operated by the Seminole Tribe of Florida. As they put it themselves, the casino offers an experience unique to the Paradise Coast, inviting you to indulge in culinary delights, live entertainment shows, and of course, never-ending casino games on vast casino floor expanses.

• Slots. Chances are you will find your favorite game among more than 1,400 slots with denominators ranging between one cent and a hundred dollars, even if you are craving such new titles as Very Cherry, Fu Stacks Crimson and Jade, Rising Koi, or Wild Lepre’Coins Gold Reserve. But don’t worry, classic slots are here as well: Lock it Link, Dancing Drums, and Wheel of Fortune take you a few dozen years back to the epoch when classic slot machines were on the top of the game. Last but not least, there are three variations of video poker at your service.
• Table games. As many as 38 live table games operating round-the-clock encompass all imaginable titles, including Blackjack, Mini-Baccarat, Pai Gow, Three Card Poker, Spanish 21, Electronic Roulette, and more.

After the end of the gambling session, you are all set to relax and recharge in one of 19 suites or 81 deluxe hotel rooms. Finally, you can see all the delights with your own eyes by taking a virtual tour across the casino premises.

Seminole Casino Coconut Creek

With more than 70 live table games and 2,000 Las Vegas-style slots, Seminole Casino Coconut Creek concludes our ratings of the best casinos in Florida.

• Slots. An abundance of non-progressive and progressive slots from all epochs makes Seminole Casino Coconut Creek a one-way destination for slot lovers. The casino employs video poker and virtual roulette, so you can switch from game to game once you get tired. While playing, you can earn Comp Dollars exchangeable for local amenities (lounger, bars, restaurants, as well as non-gaming amenities).
• Table games. The most popular table games at Seminole Casino Coconut Creek are Blackjack, Baccarat, and Ultimate Texas Hold’em, but you might as well go for a more exotic game like Casino War, Spanish 21`, Let It Ride, or any other.

The casino itself might seem quite down-to-earth compared to its two peers, but it still accepts Seminole Wild Card, which means you can take advantage of all the benefits coming from your previous achievements at the casinos connected to the franchise.

In spite of the fact that online gambling in Florida is not regulated, hundreds of international casinos accept players from Florida, guaranteeing safety and proper attitude. The casinos below as well as the casinos included in our list of Top Online Casinos in Florida for 2020 are all verified, safe, and reliable gambling venues that live up to the highest gambling standards.

• Miami Club. Home to over 170 casino games, including 3-reel slots, video slots, progressive games video poker, blackjack, as well as an impressive variety of table games, Miami Club is as diverse as generous. In addition to the welcome bonus of 100% up to $100, it runs weekly bonuses and tournaments, as well as the so-called Miami Club, a multi-tier rewards program.
• 24VIP. Hundreds of innovative slots and exclusive table games, luscious treats for players topped by the 250% welcome bonus, and comfortable banking options (Neteller, Skrill, BTC, MasterCard, American Express, Paysafecard, Neosurf) are the best of what 24VIP offers. And it is quite enough for a safe and pleasant gambling pastime. Since all games are available in the demo mode, there’s no need to rush – you can just pick your beloved slot or table game and play with demo credits as long as you need to attain perfection.
• Superlines. Thirteen game categories at Superlines engulf every imaginable type of online entertainment, from video slots to live casinos, from micro bet games to VIP games. But what really sets this casino apart from other venues is its generous promotion policy which starts from the generous first-deposit 400% bonus up to €100 and expands to never-ending daily and weekly perks. Second and third deposits are powered up with bonuses as well. So why don’t you go and explore the range of opportunities yourself?