Florida Online Casinos

Florida is debating the legalization of online casinos, but unlike other states that have had to go through both changes of the legislative body, and finally secure a hard-fought approval from the state governor, the Sunshine State is doing things differently.

Thanks to a new tribal gaming compact signed between Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Seminole Tribe of Florida, tribes are now able to offer online sports betting in the state. Numerous legal challenges have not been able to undo this decision, either. But hold on, what about Florida online casinos for real money?

Although the chance is slim, there is a possibility for casino sites in Florida to also be launched as part of the compact signed between the governor’s office and the tribe.

This could see the landscape of casino gambling change rapidly across the state, and the current social casinos take the backseat.

In the meantime, though, any player in Florida who wants casino games of chance will have to either visit any of the state brick-and-mortar options or try the sweepstakes and social casinos instead.

Florida Casino News

Stay updated as Florida makes waves with its evolving gambling laws, responsible gaming efforts, and enforcement actions. Check the feed below for the latest updates and developments across the state.

Casino March 21, 2025

Florida Gambling Watchdog Busts 100 Illegal Gambling Machines Three locations in Tallahassee were targeted as a part of an investigation led by the Florida Gaming Control Commission (FGCC) in collaboration with Leon County Sheriff’s Office and Florida Highway Patrol. Two Indian Nationals Arrested in Latest Florida Illegal Gambling Bust Investigators obtained more than 100 gambling machines that were operated without a license from […]

Casino March 3, 2025

Florida Pushes New Bills to Bar All But The Seminole Tribe to Offer Online Gambling Florida’s sports betting is currently the exclusive purview of the Seminole Tribe and Hard Rock Bet, and lawmakers are keen to keep it this way. Representative Walter Barnaby and Senator Corey Simon filed HB953 and S1404 in their respective chambers to ensure that this is the case. New Bills Want to Prohibit All Internet Gambling […]

Casino January 28, 2025

Police Busts Illegal Gambling Operation in Florida Seizes 1,000 Slots, $1M Florida’s cops have cultivated an unfailing reflex to spot, investigate and bust illegal gambling operations. Small or big, several such illicit activities have been brought to heel by the work of dedicated law enforcement officers. New Major Illegal Bust Goes After Sprawling “Arcade” Network Now, though, The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PSBO) has something […]

Casino January 3, 2025

Florida Police Busts Another Illegal Gambling Operation Florida has continued to crack down on illegal gambling, and although authorities have been vigilant, sprawling operations have continued to abound. One such illegal gambling ring was busted by a police officer recently just outside Orlando. Illegal Gambling Crackdowns Continue in Florida Officers descended on the location under the Lake County Sheriff’s Office operation that […]

Are Online Casinos Legal in Florida?

Yes, online casinos are 100% legal in Florida, but this only concerns social and sweepstake casinos which are played for special currency known as coins or sweepstakes. In other words, there are no legal real money casinos in FL as of right now. This can feel a little underwhelming, but the state is far from passing comprehensive legislation on either sports betting or casinos.

This is unless you consider the tribal compact signed between Gov DeSantis and the Seminole Tribe of Florida in 2021 which allows the tribe to offer sports betting online. The compact could cover online casinos, as attested by tribal leaders themselves, but there has not been any momentum gathering around this at the time of reporting.

Sports betting has gone live already in Florida through the Hard Rock Bet brand, and yes, there is a lot a chatter about the potential introduction of online casinos for real money as well, but specifically restricted to the tribal compact sphere of influence. In other words, Hard Rock Bet could become the first and possibly only iCasino in the state, if the compact is to expand.

Florida continues to see some challenges raised as to the nature of online sports betting, though, although most of these have been already settled and the realities on the ground are that the tribal compact that has enabled the arrival and subsequent launch of Hard Rock Bet in the state could one day also lead to the introduction of the state’s first real money casino.  

What Casinos Online Are Legal in Florida?

As you may have found out by now, there are legal online casinos you can try in Florida. Those are the so-called social and sweepstakes casinos. The use an alternate currency that does not have a real-world value. As such, these casino operators, including WoW Casino, Chumba Casino, and others, are allowed to run their products legally in the state of Florida.

You can try many games of chance, including slots that are otherwise available for real money in states that are regulated. This will give you a good idea of what online casinos can feel like. Please be reminded that you cannot stake real money to play at these casinos.

Another thing to note is that Florida may challenge the legality of social and sweepstakes casinos, as the current regulatory landscape in the United States has seen several states act against this vertical, challenging its legality.

Mobile Florida Casinos

It should not come as a surprise that mobile casinos in Florida are quite popular, and they will indeed offer a great experience on the go. These casinos are optimized to play on handheld devices and make it very easy to enjoy gameplay on the go. We have play-tested mobile casinos ourselves to make sure that the brands we recommend support this feature. Once again, the casinos we have in mind are only the sweepstakes and social casinos.

Florida Casino Apps

There are no real money casino apps in Florida right now. Players may still download social casino apps if they want to, though, and this could be a great way to really spend some time playing games of chance in Florida completely legally, and without having to worry about losing money.

Land-Based Casinos in Florida 

Florida is a state that definitely doesn’t have a shortage of land-based casinos. The most prominent properties include the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, Seminole Casino Hotel, and Miccosukee Resort & Gaming Center, among some of the most visited and enjoyed venues. Our list below will list a handful of the brick-and-mortar casinos that we think you may be interested in visiting when in Florida, depending on your location.

Responsible Gambling in Florida

Responsible gambling is naturally part of the efforts put down by casinos in the state of Florida, as casinos are keen to promote a message of safe gambling across all of their properties. On a state level, there are organizations, such as the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) that are actively looking to support individuals who may be struggling with their gambling behavior.

The national gambling support helpline is 1-800-GAMBLER. There is also a dedicated problem gambling helpline at 888-ADMIT-IT and you may either call or send a text and get a callback.

 Overall, the money allocated to fighting problem gambling in Florida isn’t that much, with $2 million allocated to the Florida Compulsive and Addictive Gambling Prevention Program. This isn’t many funds but it’s a good start. The funding came in 2024, and the program may yet increase its scope and funding. Organizations such as the NCPG are in the meantime relying on private funding to sustain some of their most ambitious moves.

Gambling Help dot Org also provides extensive resources on how to cope with problem gambling and spot the signs therein. Gambling Help dot Org also provides extensive resources on how to cope with problem gambling and spot the signs therein.

Florida Online Casinos FAQ