Florida Legal Gambling Age: How Old To Bet In Florida? Unlike some states where residents must wait until 21 to legally gamble in any fashion, in Florida, they generally must only wait until 18, however most Indian casinos do state players need to be 21 to play their games. Under Florida law, the offense of “gambling” is defined as follows: Whoever plays or engages in any game at cards, keno, roulette, faro or other game of chance, at any place, by any device whatever, for money or other thing of value, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. Gambling Laws in Florida The minimum gambling age is 18 at all Indian casinos for bingo or poker and 21 for electronic gaming machines. The minimum gambling age is 18 for pari-mutuel betting or poker and 21 for gaming machines. The minimum drinking age on all boats is 21. In order to gamble in a Florida casino, a player needs to be 21 or older. The legal gambling age in Florida is also mostly dependent on the venue. The law is lenient on as far as saying that should a Florida casino not serve alcohol the players who are 18 and over can gamble in those casinos.

1. Florida Bingo Law
2. What Is The Legal Gambling Age In Florida
3. New Florida Gambling Laws
4. Legal Casino Gambling Age In Florida
5. Legal Age For Gambling In Florida

Gambling in Florida has been legal in various forms since 1931, but what’s available continues to be as diverse as the state of more than 21 million.

Wagering in the state began with dog and horse racing, followed by jai alai, all in the 1930s. Whereas horse racing remains not only an important part of the economy, but to Florida gambling, jai alai is quickly fading into oblivion and voters chose to outlaw greyhound racing beginning in 2021, turning such storied venues as Derby Lane in St. Petersburg into card rooms. So-called racinos are located within race tracks across the state, also offer these gambling amenities.

Tribal casinos came to Florida in the late ’80s, offering table games and slot machines. There are currently seven such casinos – six operated by the Seminole Tribe of Florida and its Hard Rock brand – which comprise all of the standalone, non-racino venues. Some casino-style gambling is available on small day-cruise boats once out in international waters and Princess Cruises plans offers larger casinos and sports betting on the ocean liners. Poker is legal in card rooms.

Online gaming has not yet come to Florida, , but residents can take advantage of social gaming, however, where they can play the slots or poker for fun instead of money.

Sports betting in Florida remains a complicated non-reality. The Seminole Tribe of Florida believes it owns exclusive rights to offer it, if the state legislature passes a bill, but a 2018 limitation on the expansion of gambling in Florida approved by voters will make the process difficult.

Sweepstakes casinos in Florida

Social casino site options

In Florida, the options for social gaming are similar to other states. Zynga, Slotomania, BigFish, and the rest of the usual suspects are available to Florida residents and visitors.

Residents are typically too far away to take advantage of the MyVegas comps options. However, there are three exceptions: Resorts World Bimini, Royal Caribbean, and the Orlando offerings from Gray Line Tours.

Bimini is the closest Bahamian island to Florida. It’s either a short boat or plane ride away from the eastern coast. Though RWB’s casino is smallish, with only a few hundred slot machines and a smattering of table games, the property is well-furnished, and the comps offered through MyVegas include discounts on rooms, food, and other activities.

Another MyVegas option that Floridians can truly use is the site’s partnership with Royal Caribbean cruises. Rewards offered through MyVegas include onboard credits and, most invitingly, actual cruise comps for interior staterooms on departures out of Fort Lauderdale. It’s conceivable that free or nearly-free five-day vacations are convenient for most Floridians. (At least those willing to put in the time to get 750,000 loyalty points.)

The final option is to get comps for the Gray Line Tour options out of Orlando. The rewards offered are mostly companion tickets or discounts, but there are MyVegas options for trips to Miami, Clearwater Beach, St. Augustine, and the Kennedy Center. So, at the very least, if you were planning to go sightseeing in Florida anyway, you might be able to ease the burden on your wallet and do it in style.

Land-based slots environment

Florida has a long history with regard to gambling. Legal forms of wagering have existed in the state since 1931, when dog and horse racing were legalized.

Since that time, there has been an ebb-and-flow to the public’s acceptance of gambling options and buildings. Ultimately, Florida has undoubtedly become a destination for more than just beaches and retirement facilities.

Florida first legalized slot machines and jai alai back in 1935. They quickly repealed the machines (but not the jai alai) two years later. Limited slots gaming was introduced in 1988 on tribal lands due to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. But it wasn’t until 2004, 67 years after their repeal, that voters revived slot gaming and approved slot machines’ introduction to the racetracks and jai alai facilities.

Tribal Casinos

The path that led Florida to become such a gambling-friendly state hinges on one major fact. Florida has a preponderance of Native American tribal lands within its borders.

Florida’s interwoven relationship with several tribes – particularly the Seminole tribe – has allowed for the expansion of gaming in Florida. And, unlike other reservation lands, many tribal properties are near or inside major metropolitan areas in the state.

The Seminoles have operated some form of gambling in Florida since 1981, when they began offering bingo at their Tampa-area reservation (one of six reservations in the state). Today, the tribe owns and operates seven different casinos. These include two Seminole Hard Rock locations in Tampa and Hollywood.

In 2009, Governor Charlie Crist signed a bill into law that relaxed rules on much of gambling, particularly with regard to poker. Those seven Seminole casinos, one Miccosukee-run facility, and several casino cruise boats offer slot gamblers more than 25,000 machines and over 750 table games upon which to play.

Additionally, players can find over 800 Florida poker tables in cardrooms and racinos throughout the state. Below is a listing of the properties.

Land-based slots options

Online gambling options

As of right now, Florida has no laws either for or against online gambling but has no regulated sites of its own to offer.

However, since the legislature has a budget shortfall and what seems to be a favorable opinion about gambling within the state, it would be no major surprise if Florida iGaming became a legal reality.

With so many land-based options and no major public backlash to be seen, Florida is definitely on the upswing with its gambling. So, those who prefer online games are likely to find options fairly soon.

Operator profile

Miccosukee Resort and Gaming Center

With the Seminole tribe dominating so much of Florida’s gaming scene, it’s important to remember the other group that has a stake. The Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida operates the Miccosukee Resort and Gaming Center. This is located on the corner of Krome Avenue and Tamiami Trail in the far western portion of Miami.

It’s a 56,000-square-foot facility offering over 1,700 slot machines, poker, and bingo. They also have a 1,200-seat entertainment venue and three restaurant options.

The center is on 25 acres of Miccosukee reservation land. However, the Miccosukees (like their Seminole counterparts in Florida) have more than one discontiguous piece of reservation land throughout the state. In fact, the primary area is within the Everglades, where the tribe has resided for over 100 years. In fact, the Miccosukees are descended from a group of Creeks who eluded capture in the wetlands area.

Today, more than 600 tribal members live in the area. They are direct descendants of that group of Creeks, who spoke Mikasuki – hence the new tribal name. The tribe is federally recognized by the United States government and maintains roughly 75,000 acres of reservation land in total (plus a perpetual lease for another 189,000 acres).

State legal environment

• Year Florida Regulated Gambling: Racing (1931), Bingo (1970), Lottery (1986), Poker (1994), Casinos (2004)
• Estimated Tax Revenue from Gambling: $1.7 billion
• Estimated Gambling Revenue: $7 billion
• Florida Gambling Age: 18 for lottery and bingo, 21 for casinos and racing
• Smoking ban: Florida does not permit smoking in card clubs but the ban does not apply to casinos.
• Florida Online gambling: Horseracing is only form of legal online gambling

Florida was a pioneer in several forms of gambling in the South. It was the first to legalize horse and greyhound racing. Its state lottery was the first in the region. Florida casinos were launched third in the southeast, only after Mississippi and Louisiana. It is the only state in the South with card clubs.

Florida gambling has always been a hotly debated subject. Referendums related to gambling expansion failed time and time again from the Great Depression era until a lottery passed in 1986. A poker referendum only passed in one county in 1994 before receiving more widespread support two years later. These days, Florida is known as one of the healthiest poker markets in the world. There are also over thirty Florida casinos, with plenty of other poker rooms and Indian casinos.

November 2018 Update

During the midterm elections of 2018, Floridians voted on two pieces of legislation affecting gambling.

• Amendment 3: Voters approved the measure that will now make it more difficult for gaming companies to build new casinos in the state. Many online betting sites are worried that the changes will affect previously authorized gambling sites in the region.
• Amendment 13: The people of Florida approved banning greyhound racing in the state. Eleven tracks are currently in operation and will have to phase out their services by the end of 2020.

Paying Gambling Taxes in Florida

OnlineUnitedStatesCasinos has gathered everything you need to know about paying taxes on your gambling winnings straight from a Certified Public Accountant. For more information please visit our exclusive Gambling Taxes article.

Florida Casinos Map & Guide

• BestBet Jacksonville
• Daytona Beach Poker
• Seminole Hard Rock

• Number of B&M Casinos: 32
• Number of Poker Rooms: 29
• Number of Indian Casinos: 7

Types of Online Florida Gambling Allowed

The only form of legal Florida online gambling is off-track betting on horses and greyhounds. Sites like TVG and TwinSpires accept this action.

Daily fantasy sports sites claim exemption under Florida’s skill gaming law. This opinion is debatable. A 1991 opinion from then-Attorney General Robert Butterworthdeclared fantasy sports to be illegal in Florida. A federal grand jury is hearing evidence about whether the activity is legal in the state.

The Florida Legislature banned sweepstakes cafes that use the Internet to award prizes in 2013. This forced subscription poker sites out of the state. Any online gambling site outside of the racing industry is unlicensed and most likely illegal in Florida.

Types of Live Florida Gambling

• Slots: Yes
• Blackjack: Yes
• Poker: Yes
• Craps/Roulette: No
• Horses: Yes
• Lottery: Yes

Florida gambling offers a wide variety of options. Florida is one if just six states left where greyhound tracks operate. Horseracing is also legal under the same statute. Tracks may operate race books on simulcasts. Jai Alai is also legal, although its popularity deteriorated with the legalization of other forms of gambling. Florida racetracks may offer live poker and card games.

There is a Florida Lottery that operates within the state. It sells scratch-off tickets and lotto entries.

The Seminole Tribe offers seven casinos in Florida. Its gaming pact permits a monopoly on blackjack and similar house-banked games. Slots and video poker are also spread at these Seminole Florida casinos. These are operated under the Hard Rock brand in major cities.

Dade and Broward Counties have an unusual setup. These two counties may offer slots, video poker and electronic table games.

Florida Gambling Laws

While it is a gaming-friendly state, Florida gambling laws are strict and have many anti-gambling statutes on the books. These parts of the codified law remain in effect even as Florida gambling policy is liberal. Many of the anti-gambling aspects of the law pertain to masquerading charitable gaming as commercial. For instance, bingo must have a prize pool no higher than $100. It also forbids several forms of Florida online gambling, including daily fantasy sports, according to a previous attorney general opinion. This has not kept sites like FanDuel and DraftKings out of the state.

The main gaming attraction are the Florida casinos owned by the Seminole Tribe. This is where gamblers will find slots, video poker, blackjack, baccarat, and other house-banked card games. The Seminoles hope to expand that to craps and roulette in the next gaming compact. Those games are currently illegal in Florida at any venue except cruise ships that do not open tables until in international waters.

Horse and greyhound racing is the oldest form of Florida gambling. These establishments hit hard times when racing fell out of popularity. Florida permits tracks to operate card clubs. While there were once bet limits in Florida, those are no longer in effect. True no limit games are legal at all card clubs and casinos.

The Seminoles have an exclusivity agreement with the state on house-banked card games, but are currently in dispute. The tribe guaranteed $1 billion to the state. The tax rate is 12% for a net win up to $2 billion. It goes up to 15% for income between $2 billion and $3 billion. This is the highest Seminole table game revenue has ever achieved. Tax rates go up 2.5% for every $500 million, should table game revenue ever reach those limits.

The minimum gambling age in Florida is 18 years for the lottery and bingo, and 21 years for those betting in casinos or the racing tracks.

List of Florida Casinos

Florida Bingo Law

With nearly 40 locations, there are plenty of Florida casinos to visit and play at. Below you will find a detailed list of the casinos in Florida, including their locations and websites. You can always use our Florida casinos map to guide you to the nearest location.

History of Florida Gambling

Racing won approval in the state legislature in 1931 by just one vote. The Florida Legislature eventually overrode Governor Doyle Carlton’s veto to legalize horse and greyhound racing in Florida. It was the first form of regulated betting in the state after a decade of attempts.

Jai Alai was added four years later. Slot machines were briefly legal between 1935 and 1937 before being repealed by the state legislature.

What Is The Legal Gambling Age In Florida

Florida legalized bingo and other charity games of chance in 1970. No minimum age was introduced making it so that anybody may play bingo in Florida, although most establishments to not admit minors.

New Florida Gambling Laws

The Seminoles were considered a nonprofit organization and were permitted to offer bingo. The largest prize pool for a bingo organizer is $100. The Seminoles decided that this did not pertain to them. The tribe opened high-stakes bingo. They were challenged by Attorney General Bob Butterworth. The Seminoles prevailed after the case made its way all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. This opened the door for more tribal bingo halls in Florida.

Florida voters approved a lottery in 1986. This same ballot initiative saw casinos fail in a landslide.

Poker was approved in 1994 in Broward County and throughout the state in 1996. It took until 2004, after many failed attempts, to legalize casinos on Seminole land. Florida casinos eventually spread to Dade and Broward Counties. The county casinos can only offer slots, video poker, and electronic table games. The Seminole casinos in Florida may offer house-banked table games in addition to these games.

Poker once had a pot limit of $10. This was raised to a $100 buy-in in 2008. All bet limits were dropped in Florida poker rooms in 2010.

A 1991 attorney general opinion stated that fantasy sports were illegal in Florida. Daily fantasy sports sites ignore this opinion. A federal grand jury is investigating the daily fantasy sports industry in the state.

Florida Gambling FAQ

Gambling and casinos are completely legal in Florida.

The minimum Florida gambling age is 18 years for lottery and bingo, and 21 years for casinos and racing.

Off-track betting on horses and greyhounds is the only form of legal online gambling in Florida.

Not according to a 1991 opinion from the state attorney general, but the daily fantasy sites dispute this finding.

Tracks operate live horse and greyhound racing.

Yes, there are tracks that spread Jai Alai.

Yes. Tracks and Seminole casinos throughout Florida offer live poker.

There are no bet limits in Florida.

Legal Casino Gambling Age In Florida

July 1, 2010. This opened up an extensive market, and Florida has quickly become a great place to play poker.

Legal Age For Gambling In Florida

Voters approved these casinos in separate referendums. State law permits local jurisdictions to approve slots at racetracks. Voters in all other counties rejected the measures.