Florida sports betting is now legal! Lawmakers in the state have made some recent updates to legalize sports betting, with the first app launching in November 2021.
Florida could become a massive player in the US sports betting industry. The state is one of the most populous in the country, and it is also home to a large number of professional sports teams.
2022 is expected to be another year filled with hope and optimism surrounding FL sports betting, with more sportsbooks looking to join Hardrock as operators in the state.
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Florida Sportsbooks
Florida has a massive casino gambling industry, with more than 80 casinos and pari-mutuel betting facilities throughout the state. The top casinos in Florida are owned and operated by the Seminole Tribe, and this is where retail sports betting started.
Sites such as DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and William Hill would all be expected to offer online betting if that were an option to them. Without any real negotiations taking place, it’s too hard to predict what the Florida online sports betting scene might look like in the near future.
FL Sports Betting Rules
Florida is home to a large number of professional sports teams, but the state is also full of popular college football and basketball teams as well. Official sports betting rules are not clear at this time, but it is likely that betting on both professional and college betting markets will be available.
Even though the Seminole Tribe will dictate how the FL sports betting industry works and operates for now, it will be up to lawmakers to come up with sports betting rules. If the state is going to reach its full potential, then betting on collegiate sporting events will be included in any legislation.
Another discussion will likely center around whether or not to allow betting on esports. This has been a popular debate throughout the US sports betting industry, especially now that esports has grown in popularity.
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FL Sports Betting Regulations
The Florida sports betting regulations are messy at this point, and it’s unclear how this problem will get solved. State lawmakers want one thing, while the Seminole Tribe believes that it has exclusive power over the gaming industry.
Senator Jeff Brandes recently filed three pieces of legislation, SB 392, SB 394, and SB 396, that all aim to legalize FL sports betting. These bills are similar to what was introduced in 2020, and those bills did not receive much support.
The Florida Lottery would be in charge of overseeing and regulating the FL sports betting industry if these bills are signed, but the Seminole Tribe has opposed this plan. The Seminole Tribe is now withholding payments to the state as they seek to get a new gaming compact established.
Governor Ron DeSantis is in favor of an expanded gaming package in 2021, but he has been unwilling to work with the Seminole Tribe in the past. He is in favor of lawmakers passing legislation to make sports betting legal, but it’s unclear if that will happen anytime soon.
Florida Sports Betting Summary
If Florida sports betting is coming anytime soon, then the Seminole Tribe in Florida is going to have to lead the way. That tribe holds too much power in the gaming industry in the state, and it will be up to lawmakers to include them in any legislation.
There have been some recent attempts by lawmakers to legalize sports betting, but those attempts have not gotten very far. The Seminole Tribe has too much power, and they are able to pressure other politicians to vote in their favor.
FL sports betting could become a huge market if it is ever an option, but it appears that it is still a few years down the road. Residents of the state have supported the idea of sports betting, and they will also need to pass a new amendment to expand any gaming laws.
Sportsbooks would love the opportunity to offer betting in Florida, but that is not likely anytime soon. There will be plenty of discussion moving forward, but it’s hard to imagine there being much action in 2021.
