Florida

Sports betting is legal in Florida as of right now. The key word there, though, is now, as the legality of sports betting is currently being challenged by the state's Supreme Court. Until an official ruling is made, residents of the Sunshine State have free reign to place wagers on the Hard Rock Sportsbook.

If one thing is certain about Florida, it is that residents love sports, whether it be professional or collegiate. With sports betting back to being entirely legal, in-state bettors can bet on all their favorite sports and even wager on their favorite in-state colleges. The one stipulation about betting on college sports in Florida is that bettors cannot place player props on college athletes, regardless of whether they play for an in-state school or not.

Bettors in the state are also free to wager on horse racing, both in-person and on mobile racebooks like DK Horse. For sports fans who prefer to stick with daily fantasy sports contests, they, unfortunately, are running out of options to use since FL has struggled to get a bill regarding DFS apps passed, which has led to Underdog and PrizePicks exiting the state.

Online sports betting in The Sunshine State

Back in 2019, the Seminole Tribe’s gaming compact was about to expire, so they began working on a new deal with Senator Wilton Simpson. The deal that the two sides agreed upon would have the state receiving $500 million a year from the tribe as long as they shut down card games and other gambling opportunities at pari-mutuel facilities.

The Seminole Tribe also would have been able to offer sports betting at their casinos and receive a cut of what pari-mutuels made from sports betting, but Gov. Ron DeSantis decided not to sign the deal. With that decision by DeSantis, the Seminole Tribe chose to stop paying the state their usual $350 million a year.

After the state failed to pass a bill allowing the state lottery to run sports betting, the Seminole Tribe and the state agreed to a new gaming compact in 2021. The new compact allows the tribe to offer retail sports betting and mobile wagering through the Hard Rock Sportsbook app.

Unfortunately for Florida sports bettors, the compact was met with multiple lawsuits once it was signed. The federal court decided to vacate the deal, quickly forcing the Hard Rock Sportsbook to cease operations in the state. In 2023, the Seminole Tribe successfully appealed the District Court's decision, and on December 5th, 2023, the Hard Rock Sportsbook app was officially up and running.

Since the Hard Rock Sportsbook was relaunched in the state, West Flager Associates made a motion for the court to rehear the case, but it was denied. More lawsuits have since been filed, which could eventually lead to another cease of operations, but for now, sports betting remains fully legal.

All legal FL sports betting apps in 2025:

Sports betting & gambling legislation in FL

Throughout all the ups and downs in the Sunshine State regarding legal sports betting, the one thing that has remained the same is that the legal gambling age is 21. Additionally, since sports betting was legalized for the first time, remote registration has been an option offered to bettors.

The only time any of these bettors would be forced to pay a tax on their winnings is if those winnings exceed $5,000 or are 300 times the amount of their initial wager. If that is the case, individuals would then be subject to a 24% tax rate.

Sports betting is not the only gambling-related topic in Florida that has run into problems over the years. Daily fantasy sports apps and social sportsbooks in the state are unregulated, allowing all big-name operators like FanDuel, PrizePicks, Underdog, Betr, and Fliff to operate.

In 2023, the Florida Gaming Commission issued cease-and-desist letters to Betr, PrizePicks, and Underdog. Despite these letters, all three operators continued to offer contests, but in January 2024, the FGC doubled down and issued another round of letters. Around the same time, a bill that would legalize DFS contests in the state died on the Senate Floor. Between those factors, PrizePicks and Underdog have exited the state, and more operators could decide to do the same.

Spring break sandcastle smackdowns: Betting on tallest tower or fastest collapse

Florida beaches have become the epicenter of Spring Break chaos that includes sun, sand, and spontaneous competition. While some groups are there to party, others are there to enjoy everything the beach has to offer, such as building sandcastles. Whether they are elaborate castles sculpted with precision or small towers teetering in the surf, these temporary monuments of creativity could become the next great novelty betting market.

Panama City and Daytona Beach, both popular Spring Break destinations, host informal and occasionally judged sandcastle contests. With judges involved, these contests could be enhanced with real-time prop betting, such as wagers on the tallest tower, the fastest collapse, or even the most creative design. Bettors could access these markets through geofenced mobile apps, enabling tourists to place micro-wagers as they relax on the contest and the beach.

Florida would need to add provisions to their already complicated sports betting laws, but if they ever figure it out, this sun-soaked, selfie-worthy competition could generate thousands in seasonal wagers. Even capturing a slice of the Spring Break economy, where millions of college students and families converge, could add tens of thousands in new handle and state tax revenue.

Betting on the next big ride: A new wagering trend for theme park fans

Florida’s theme parks are a haven for thrill-seekers, but could they also evolve into a hotspot for gambling enthusiasts? With major parks like Disney World, Universal Studios, and Busch Gardens consistently introducing new rides and attractions, the concept of betting on what’s next isn’t far-fetched. Fans already speculate online and make guesses about future roller coasters and expansions, so turning this into a legitimate betting market could add an exciting new dimension for theme park enthusiasts. 

Gamblers could place bets on markets such as which park will announce the next major attraction, what the theme of the ride will be, or even how long it will take for the construction of a ride to be completed. Theme park insiders and engineers could be the ones to help sportsbooks set lines on these markets. While it may take some convincing to get traditional sportsbooks to support the idea, the novelty betting market is growing by the day, and there is certainly no shortage of people interested in the next developments at these theme parks.

Most recent updates from the FL sports betting scene

• April 14, 2025: The Orlando Magic and Miami Heat have made the NBA Play-In Tournament. While the Heat are (+320) to reach the playoffs, the Magic are (-750).

• April 8, 2025: With a 65-63 win, the Florida Gators are the 2024-25 National Champions. They've opened at (+2500) to win the 2025-26 National Championship.

• April 7, 2025: The Florida Gators are set to play in the National Championship against Houston. The Gators are (-1) point favorites over the Cougars.

• April 4, 2025: Playing in their first Final Four since 2014, the Florida Gators are (-2.5) point favorites over Auburn, and (+300) to win the National Championship.

• March 28, 2025: By beating Maryland, the Florida Gators have advanced to the Elite 8, where they will play Texas Tech. The Gators are (-6.5) point favorites.

• March 26, 2025: Florida lawmakers advance a bill cracking down on unregulated online gambling and insider sports betting with unanimous support. The proposal includes felony penalties for betting on rigged events and misdemeanor charges for using gambling sites not run by the Seminole Tribe, potentially targeting sweepstakes platforms and offshore operators.

• March 25, 2025: Florida moves to block gaming regulators from immediately joining the gambling industry after leaving office. The push comes after ex-regulator Louis Trombetta, who had targeted smaller fantasy operators but not giants like FanDuel, took a job with FanDuel after stepping down.

• March 24, 2025: The Florida Gators have advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, where they will take on Maryland. The Gators are now (-130) to reach the Final Four.

In-person sports betting sites and locations

Since the Seminole Tribe has complete control over the Florida sports betting market, they can offer brick-and-mortar sportsbooks throughout the state. Currently, the Seminole Tribe has six casinos where they can take legal sports wagers, the biggest of which is the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL.

There is always a chance that horse racing facilities throughout the state could eventually open a sports betting kiosk, but they would first have to partner with the Seminole Tribe.

The legacy of Miami’s cocaine cowboys and illegal casinos

Miami’s history is rich with stories of cocaine cowboys, money laundering, and infamous criminal enterprises. But does any of that underground gambling culture still operate today? In the 1980s, as the drug trade exploded, underground casinos flourished in hidden backrooms, private mansions, and secret yacht clubs, where crime bosses and other members of the underworld wagered millions on poker hands and sports bets.

While Florida’s gambling industry has become mainstream with legal casinos, sportsbooks, and poker rooms, rumors of exclusive, off-the-grid gambling still remain. Some sources claim that invite-only poker nights continue to take place in Miami’s luxury penthouses. Others suggest that sports betting syndicates with cartel ties are still profiting from unregulated offshore books, which means they are stealing tax money out of the state's pockets. 

Law enforcement has cracked down on illegal gambling over the years, but as long as there’s a demand for high stakes and under-the-radar gambling, underground operations will likely never disappear. Whether it’s a relic of Miami’s past or a hidden practice among the city’s elite, one thing remains clear—passing a sports betting bill is only the tip of the iceberg when it pertains to ending illegal gambling.

Sports betting in neighboring states

Sports bettors in southern states have not had much luck finding a state with legal sports betting. While Florida currently has legal sports betting options, that could change at any moment. Unfortunately, bettors won’t be able to take their business to neighboring states since neither Alabama nor Georgia has sports betting bills in place.

You can click on the links below to find out more about the sports betting landscape in both of those states.

Sports betting revenue impact on Florida’s economy

Due to the back-and-forth nature of legal sports betting in Florida, the public does not have a firm idea of how much the state has made from the matter. Most states release a monthly report of how much sports betting handle, revenue, and tax income the state made, but with sports betting not run by the Florida government, these reports are non-existent.

According to a 2021 report, the state would be estimated to earn $247 million in tax revenue from legal sports betting. Given its sheer size, Florida could potentially be one of the highest-earning states every month, even with the current monopoly that the Hard Rock Sportsbook app has over the mobile betting scene.

Additionally, because the state government is not involved, sports betting in Florida does not operate under a licensing system. Instead, the state signed a tribal gaming compact with the Seminole Tribe, which has granted them complete control over the sports betting landscape.

How novelty bets on retirement races could boost Florida’s betting economy

Florida’s retirement mecca, The Villages, has garnered a lot of attention for its quirky golf cart drag races. With media and tourist interest already there, the question becomes whether these community events could also become a surprising revenue generator if turned into a legalized micro-betting market. With pre-set race courses, high resident engagement, and repeat seasonal events, the foundation for this market is already in place. If even 0.1% of Florida’s $9 billion projected annual sports betting handle came from novelty betting on golf cart races, that would translate to $9 million in additional wagers annually. At Florida’s proposed 15% tax rate, that’s $1.35 million in new tax revenue from just this one niche market.

These events represent a low-risk, high-participation opportunity for sportsbooks to experiment with local engagement while the state capitalizes on Florida’s uniquely active retirement communities. If the state embraces this culture-heavy, community-driven prop betting, it could potentially improve betting revenue and become a true innovator in novelty market profitability.