Online sports betting in Florida is experiencing multiple developments, with HardRock Bet now open to ALL Florida customers.
Update: As of December 2023, users in Florida can sign up for the Hard Rock Bet sportsbook and bet even if they didn’t have an account. Previously, only existing users of the platform could bet, but Hard Rock Bet has opened registrations for new accounts once again.
An October 25th decision from Chief Justice John Roberts helped facilitate the Nov. 7 soft launch (where only existing users could bet on Hard Rock Bet sportsbook) since the decision confirmed that, federally speaking, the Seminole Tribe was allowed to proceed with the launch of Hard Rock Bet. The Seminoles also have support from the Florida Supreme Court, as the state court denied a motion on Nov. 17 put forth by WFA that would’ve required Hard Rock Bet to close shop.
The Tribe will also facilitate its “A New Era in Florida Gaming” by debuting sports betting, craps, and roulette at its brick-and-mortar casinos beginning December 7.
Read on to learn more about the progress of online and offline sports betting in Florida.
The best Florida Fantasy & Props Sites – April 2024
More on Florida Sports Betting
- Florida Sports Betting: Current Situation
- Florida Sports Betting FAQs
- Florida Sports Betting Sites
- History of Florida Sports Betting
- Florida Sports Teams to bet on
Florida Sports Betting: Current Situation
| Online Sports Betting | Yes, for existing users/loyalty members |
| Retail Sports Betting | N |
| Minimum Age | 21 |
The legality of Florida sports betting has been a hot topic in America’s third most populous state, as well as nationwide. Facebook relationship status: “It’s complicated.”
After the DC Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously overturned the District Court’s 2021 decision to shut down all legal online sports betting in Florida, the state’s Seminole Tribe appears to have the ball back in its own court as it ponders its next move.
As a result, Florida sports betting is once again showing signs of life with the recently-rebranded Hard Rock Bet soft-launching on Nov. 7 for existing users. As of December 2023, new users can once again sign up with the platform.
The Seminoles have the all-clear at the federal level due to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on October 25th. Chief Justice Roberts denied WFA’s request for a stay and received support from Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who said that the denial is constitutional because the compact only authorized the tribe to conduct on-reservation gaming operations and not off-reservation gaming operations.
However, WFA isn’t giving up at the state level. On Dec. 26, they filed their latest Florida Supreme Court response. They argue that “casino gambling” under the state’s Amendment 3 includes sports betting, and if the Florida Supreme Court agrees, sports betting in the state could be in danger despite its recent rollout. We’re waiting to hear whether the court will hear the case, decline it, or send it to Leon County Court. Stay tuned for more details.
Greenlight for retail sports betting
The Seminole Tribe of Florida rolled out retail sports betting, craps, and roulette on December 7 at the following South Florida locations:
- Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood
- Seminole Classic Casino in Hollywood
- Seminole Casino Coconut Creek
The new games came to the Tribe’s Tampa location on December 8 and the Immokalee and Brighton locations on December 11.
Challenges to Florida online sports betting
While the launch of Hard Rock Bet was successful, online sports betting in Florida is facing continued pushback. Attorneys for West Flagler and Associates filed a writ of certiorari on Feb. 8 to ask SCOTUS to not “allow the unlawful approach taken by Florida to become a model” for tribal sports betting across the country.
SCOTUS must decide whether to hear the case; if they don’t, WFA will have exhausted all its federal options to fight against online sports betting in Florida.
Neighboring states with legal online sports betting
Florida’s push for legal sports betting mirrors the efforts of some neighboring states.
Both Arkansas and Mississippi have opened their doors to legal sports betting in various degrees since the 2018 PASPA ruling paved the way for regulation.
Florida Sports Betting FAQ
Below, we’ve addressed some of the most common questions regarding legal sports betting in Florida:
Is sports betting legal in Florida?
Online sports betting is available on a limited basis through Hard Rock Bet, which is run by the Seminole Tribe. Legal retail sports betting is set to go live on December 7.
Where can I bet on sports in Florida?
The Seminole Tribe of Florida is set to offer retail sports betting at three of its South Florida locations on December 7. The rest of its locations will have retail sports betting by December 11. Hard Rock Bet, a rebranded version of the only legal online sports betting platform to ever accept action in FL, has returned for users that had an account back in 2021, or that have a loyalty account with Hard Rock Bet.
Can I use DraftKings in Florida?
Officially, the use of DraftKings is prohibited by state law. In reality, the use of the DraftKings app for playing DFS, which can include real-money play, is not commonly punished by the state.
However, the prosecution could be brought against individuals in theory so it’s best to avoid using DraftKings in Florida for the time being.
Most likely Florida sports betting sites
Having already launched, albeit extremely briefly, the frontrunner in Florida still has to be Hard Rock Bet, a new and improved version of the famous Hard Rock Sportsbook app and website.
Following that, the other most likely sports betting sites to take root in Florida, pending legal clearance, are FanDuel and DraftKings. The “big two” have been knocking on the door since their original campaign to get the sports betting question onto the state’s November ballot.
Although their efforts haven’t paid dividends just yet, the two hugely popular betting sites are nailed on to make their considerable presence felt in Florida.
Aside from that, BetMGM has been heavily linked with a debut in the Sunshine State, given their top-quality product and market reach.
Is retail sports betting legal in Florida?
There are currently no legal retail sports betting options in the state, but the Seminole Tribe of Florida plans to change that with its rollout on December 7.
Is Hard Rock Bet coming to Florida?
Yes, Hard Rock Bet is available to Florida users on a limited basis. For now.
The Seminole Tribe’s Hard Rock Sportsbook has been rebranded as Hard Rock Bet and was recently relaunched in several states, including Arizona, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, and New Jersey.
Hard Rock Sportsbook was previously operational for just over a month in Florida in late 2021 before being shut down by the state and later soft-launched on Nov. 7.
The history of Florida Sports Betting
Rewinding to 2018, the Seminole cemented their grip on any future expansion of sports betting by supporting the passage of Amendment 3. This act made it impossible for future legislatures to legalize Florida sports betting without working with the Seminole.
Following approximately three more years of legal wrangling, a new compact was signed to theoretically enable state-wide mobile sports wagering in May 2021. Although this bill was added to the federal register, this did not constitute its official approval as law.
With the legal status being somewhat ambiguous, the Seminole – owners of the Hard Rock casino chain in Florida – went ahead and developed a Hard Rock sports betting app. This app went live in November 2021.
However, its rollout was very short-lived as further challenges to its legality were mounted at the federal level, leading the Seminole to take the Hard Rock app down barely a month later.
After nearly two years with no legal sports betting available in the state, Hard Rock Sportsbook was primed to return under its new Hard Rock Bet identity following the DC Circuit Court of Appeals’ June 2023 decision to overturn the legislation that originally barred legal sports betting from operating in the state.
However (get used to that word, because this situation gets messier), the Supreme Court of the US at large, and specifically Chief Justice John Roberts, had ordered the Department of the Interior to respond to the situation by October 18th. Their response: we already approved the 2021 agreement, and the FL Supreme Court should await a response from DeSantis that should come by December 1st of this year.
Hard Rock Bet did re-launch on Nov. 7 for users that had an account back in 2021 or members of the Unity by Hard Rock loyalty program. As of December 2023, new users are again able to sign up for their first-ever Hard Rock Bet account and bet legally.
Retail sports betting is set to go live starting December 7 at three Seminole casinos, with the rest of the tribe’s locations to follow suit by December 11.
Florida Sports Teams to bet on
Few states in the union can match Florida’s abundance of pro sports representation. Between Tampa Bay, Miami, Florida, and Jacksonville the Sunshine State boasts 11 major league franchises and 11 nation national championships across NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLS.
Not to mention the state of Florida is one of the best states for collegiate sports. The Florida Gators, Florida State Seminoles, and Miami Hurricanes, all powerhouses in multiple college sports, arguably have bigger fan bases than some of the professional sports franchises.
Miami Dolphins
Arguably one of the most iconic names in American sport, the Dolphins did most of their best leaping during the 70s and 80s.
Miami’s top football franchise secured back-to-back Super Bowls in 1972-73 to avenge their 1971 drubbing by the Dallas Cowboys in the 1971 showpiece.
Legendary coach Don Shula presided over another two AFC Championship wins in the early 80s, with Dan Marino throwing the bullets. However, they tasted defeat on both occasions.
However, the Miami Dolphins will enter the 2023 NFL season with optimism. With offensive guru Mike McDaniel at the helm, the Dolphins have one of the most talented offenses in the league.
They made the playoff for the first time in six years last season and are in good position to make it back-to-back appearances in 2023 despite playing in the competitive AFC East.
Miami Heat
If the Dolphins’ success has begun fading into memory, the Miami Heat have had far more recent achievements have certainly restored pride in Florida’s biggest city.
The roll call of players to have graced the FTX Arena in the 21st century is staggering, with some of the all-time greats on the list.
Dwyane Wade (3), Shaquille O’Neal (1), and LeBron James (2) have all contributed to NBA championship success.
The Heat made the finals six times between 2005-06 and 2019-20, picking up three titles.
Miami is trending in the right direction after a very successful 2022-2023 season. Jimmy Butler led them on an improbable playoff run all the way to the NBA Finals.
While they were runners up this year, their success has caught the eye of talent around the league. Rumors are swirling that star point guard Damien Lillard would like to be traded from the Trail Blazers to the Heat.
Miami Marlins
A relatively recent addition to the MLB, Miami’s baseball franchise has also brought success to the Magic City.
The LoanDepot Park outfit was formed in 1993 (previously the Florida Marlins) and went on to secure their first of two World Series wins just four seasons later in 1997.
The next triumph arrived in 2003, with three-time All-Star pitcher Josh Beckett putting in a mighty performance on the mound to claim the World Series MVP award.
The Marlins have yet to re-emerge from their success in the early 2000s, but 2023 has been a success thus far. Miami is currently in the race for a wild card spot in the National League.
Florida Panthers
Despite the lack of natural ice in the Sunrise City area of Greater Miami, hockey fans still have the chance to indulge in top-level puck action at the FLA Live Arena.
However, the Florida Panthers are still somewhat in the shadow of their more illustrious state neighbors up in Tampa, having failed to make a Stanley Cup appearance in their 30-year history.
The success of Florida sports teams continues with the Florida Panthers. Much like the Heat, the Panthers went on an incredible playoff run in 2023.
They took down a legendary Boston Bruins team and picked up another series win over Toronto as they made it to the Stanley Cup Finals. Unfortunately, they would not lift the trophy as they were defeated by the Vegas Golden Knights in five games.
Inter Miami FC
History they may not have, yet, but David Beckham’s deep pockets and mass appeal they most certainly do. There’s also the famed Miami climate to add to the general appeal of this glamorous franchise.
It’s been a tough couple of campaigns since the newest MLS franchise entered the Eastern Division for the start of the 2020 season, but these are very early days for the Beckham-led enterprise.
Miami has captured the attention of soccer fans around the globe as they were able to sign Lionel Messi. Messi, arguably one of the greatest footballers of all-time, just won a World Cup for his home country Argentina.
Messi is one of the greatest players to ever grace the MLS and his arrival has made Inter Miami FC the face of the league.
Jacksonville Jaguars
If it wasn’t for regular playoff roadblocks the New England Patriots, the Jaguars could well have a pair of AFC Championships in the trophy cabinet at least.
After a long period of relative obscurity, Jaguars fans got the taste of a deep playoffs run again as recently as 2017, again making it to within one ball game of the Super Bowl.
The Pats have other ideas of course, as the Tom Brady-inspired outfit prevailed in a tight 24-20 encounter.
Orlando Magic
Despite making two NBA Finals appearances in their history and having some great players don the Magic jersey, the Orlando franchise is still chasing a first league title.
Shaquille O’Neal is still an iconic figure in Orlando’s past, while fellow center Dwight Howard’s all-action game nearly inspired a national championship in 2008-09.
The Lakers spoilt the party on that occasion and since that narrow miss, there’s only been a handful of playoff appearances to point at.
Orlando City SC
Despite boasting former World Cup winner Kaka as their first designated player after forming in 2013, not even the Brazilian’s midfield mastery could bring success to Orlando.
Despite their 0-5 playoffs record heading into the 2020 season, the past two campaigns have at least seen post-season football. The MLS Cup quarterfinals remain their best achievement to date.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
After decades in the NFL wilderness, it was extremely fitting that the Buccaneers’ first Super Bowl was inspired by two guys educated at Florida State.
That both of those guys were from the usually unsung defensive ranks made it even sweeter for Bucs fans back in 2002.
Safety Dexter Jackson was named Super Bowl MVP, while linebacker Derrick Brooks went on to be named the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year.
Fast-forward almost 20 years and it was a certain quarter-back by the name of Tom Brady who had made the excellent decision to bring his career swansong to Florida.
The GOAT scooped Super Bowl LV’s MVP as Tampa Bay put themselves back on the national football map with victory over the Kansas Chiefs in 2021.
Tampa Bay Rays
A change of name so nearly did the business in 2008 as the Rays converted their first-ever playoff appearance by going all the way to their first World Series.
The Philadelphia Phillies proved too strong, winning it in five games, but that firmly placed Tampa Bay on the baseball map.
Having played post-season baseball fairly regularly in the ensuing years, Kevin Cash’s excellent team took the LA Dodgers to game six in the 2020 World Series.
The Tampa Bay Rays have become the team to beat in the American League to this point in the 2023 season. The Rays have second-best record in baseball and are well on their way to another playoff appearance.
Tampa Bay Lightning
There’s not been a hotter franchise on the ice than the Tampa Bay Lightning in recent seasons.
Indeed, Tampa Bay’s puck maestros proved that lightning really could strike twice by claiming back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2019-20 and 2020-21.
Those championships added to their maiden Stanley Cup triumph in 2003-04. In right winger Nikita Kucherov, the Lightning have one of the best players in the world.
Kucherov’s attacking brilliance is also well backed up by Swedish teammate Victor Hedman, who is one of the NHL’s most gifted defensemen.
Lightning, unfortunately did not strike in Tampa in 2023. The Lightning were defeated by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round of the playoffs. It remains to be seen if their veteran core can rebound next season.