Florida Sportsbooks and Sports Betting

At one point, it seemed as if everything was in store for Florida to start accepting online wagers and bets. However, things did take a turn when opposition and critics to online sports betting approached the Florida courts seeking to overturn the decision to legalise online sports betting in the state. Right now, the decision regarding the legality and illegality of online sports betting in Florida rests with the federal District Court for the District of Colombia. Well, to get a better understanding of the status of online sports betting in Florida, lets jump into the finer details.    

Laws Relating to Online Sports Betting in Florida

Like all the other US states, the US Supreme Court ruling in 2018 which legalised online sports betting on a federal level necessitated the discussions and debates about the legality of online sports betting in Florida. For several months after the US Supreme Court ruling was passed, Florida politicians debated about the state’ status in regards to online sports betting. The debates ultimately culminated in the legalisation of online sports betting in the state. The state of Florida ruled that the Seminole Tribe would be responsible for operating sportsbooks in the state either acting in its own right or through partners. October 15, 2021 was chosen as the date that online sports betting would go live in the state.

However, while everything seemed to be going according to plan, Magic City Casino, one of the biggest retail casinos in Florida did approach the courts suing the federal government to block online sports betting in the state. The Magic City Casino is arguing that online sports betting should only be permitted in Florida once a ‘legally recognised’ sports betting compact is established for Florida. The court case has necessitated the federal District Court for the District of Colombia to move the anticipated online sports betting launch date in Florida from October 15 to November 15 – at which point the Court assumes it would have heard the case and made a ruling. Punters in Florida at this moment thus can only wait and hope for a positive ruling from the Courts with regards to online sports betting.

Current State of Online Sports Betting in Florida

The current state of online sports betting in Florida is shrouded in mystery. The legality and illegality of online sports betting in the state is currently in the hands of the Courts and it is the Courts which will decide if Florida will go ahead and start accepting online wagers and bets or if the decision to permit online wagers and bets is to be reversed and ditched.

Frontrunner Sportsbooks Looking to Go Live in Florida

According to the earlier plans by the state government, Florida was to have online sportsbooks operated by the Seminole Tribe or its partners. The Tribe had already agreed that two of its major facilities that is, the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in both Tampa and Hollywood were to launch the very first online sportsbooks. Third party sportsbooks such as FanDuel, DraftKings and BetMGM were enquiring on possible partnerships with the Seminole Tribe before Magic City Casino contested the legality of online sports betting in the state. It remains to be seen how the Florida sate government will proceed with regards to online sportsbooks once a ruling in its favour is passed by the Courts.

Top Retail Casinos in Florida

  • Seminole Casino Brighton
  • Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee
  • Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa
  • Seminole Classic Casino Hollywood
  • Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood

Top NFL Sports Teams in Florida

The state of Florida has three teams in the NFL. If the Court passes a ruling permitting online sports betting in Florida, all punters in the state will have an opportunity to back their favourite local teams. The three Florida teams in the NFL are:

  • Jacksonville Jaguars
  • Miami Dolphins
  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers