Sports Betting in the United States became legalized after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA) which prevented citizens from participating in sports betting. Since then, many states have opened their doors to various sports betting platforms for their residents to legally place bets. However, Florida residents haven’t had it so easy.
Is Sports Betting Legal in Florida?
Florida is one of the states where commercial gambling activities are dominated by the state’s Native American tribes. Hence, you’ll find that you’re only allowed to play casino games at tribal casinos. This has extended into the sports betting scene as well as the Florida Legislature has approved a huge gambling deal called a gaming compact (Tampa Bay, 2021). It has also been signed into law by the state governor, Gov. Ron DeSantis.
This gaming compact makes sport betting in the Sunshine State legal, but it will be exclusively controlled by the Seminole Tribe for 30 years. It covers both physical and online sports betting so you should be able to place bets with your mobile device or desktop from anywhere within Florida. But even then, things are not so straightforward yet (Action Network, 2021).
The compact still needs to be approved by the United States Department of Interior, which will ensure that it agrees with already established Indian gambling laws. Also, it can be legally challenged in the court by parties who would rather not have sports betting in Florida yet. Finally, in Florida, residents have a say in what can be allowed regarding casino gambling expansions so they may have to vote to make sports betting legal in the state.
If all goes well, Florida gambling enthusiasts can expect to begin to place bets on sports as early as October this year, according to the compact. If you live in Florida, you’ll be able to bet on international sports, the state’s professional teams, and even college teams as long as you’re 21 years or older. In-play betting will also be offered and although the details of mobile sports betting aren’t clear yet, the compact has made provision for it (Palm Beach Post, 2021).
Legal Gambling Activities in Florida
While you wait for sports betting to be signed into law in Florida, there are other legal gambling activities that you can engage in such as the Florida Lottery, pari-mutuel gambling, and state-approved card rooms. You can also participate in casino games but they can only be played at tribal casinos in the state. They have a decent amount of games and with the newly-signed deal, craps and roulette will now be offered as well.
If you’re bent on sports betting but are restricted by Florida’s laws, your only option would be to go to a state where it is legal and place bets while you’re physically present there. Otherwise, wait for the sports bettings deal to come through so you can bet from the comfort of your home.
Sources:
- Tampa Bay, 2021:
https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2021/05/20/florida-lawmakers-approved-legalized-sports-betting-now-what/?outputType=amp - Action Network, 2021:
https://www.actionnetwork.com/legal-online-sports-betting/florida-online-retail-sports-betting-approved-groundbreaking-gaming-deal?amp=1 - Palm Beach Post, 2021:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.palmbeachpost.com/amp/4971523001
