Online Gambling in Florida in 2024
- Scott Kacsmar
- August 6, 2024
Gambling and the state of Florida should go hand in hand because both are designed for dreamers who want to live life to the fullest. Unfortunately, the Sunshine State has a complex history of accepting and rejecting gambling so, to this day, there is still no system in place for legalized online gambling in Florida, the third-most populated state in the country.
However, this does not mean that Florida residents have no casino gambling options. In fact, there is an ever-growing number of online betting sites and mobile sports betting apps that Floridians can join and start placing wagers with real money and enjoy betting on their favorite sports teams, or casino-style gaming.
We know you have questions. Where are these sites, are they legal for me to join, and what do they offer players? Fortunately, we have compiled a thorough guide that will show you the best sportsbooks in the Sunshine State to join as well as go over the history and legality of Florida sports betting, casino gambling and other forms of gambling in the Sunshine State.
SPORTSBOOK | TRUST SCORE | ONLINE SINCE | Expert Review | BONUS | Bet Now |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
9.8
|
1996
|
$500 Cash Bonus
|
|||
9.6
|
2001
|
100% Free Play
|
|||
9.5
|
1996
|
$1,000 Cash Bonus
|
|||
9.6
|
2002
|
55% Cash Bonus
|
|||
9.9
|
2011
|
$750 Cash Bonus
|
|||
9.8
|
2001
|
$250 Free Bet
|
Best 2024 Online Gambling Sites in Florida
If you need help finding the best online gambling sites in Florida, then you have come to the right spot. We review each of these sites based on a set of criteria we value as the most important, and from there we have completed a top 10 list of the best sites for online gambling in Florida.
- Heritage Sports – Fans of live betting rejoice
- Bovada – King of props
- BetOnline – Known for opinionated lines
- BetAnySports – Play the lottery from home
- BookMaker – Will not limit winning players
- JustBet – Great customer service
- BetUS – The spot for blackjack players
- WagerWeb – Reduced juice lines
- Everygame – Outstanding site design
- SportsBetting.ag – Great bonuses
All 10 of these sites are offshore gambling sites, meaning they do not have to abide by the laws in Florida, which currently deem online betting to be illegal. But as a Floridian, you can still join and bet with real money on these sites as there is no specific law to prohibit you from doing so. If you are concerned about your safety in using these online sportsbooks, do not fret. We made sure to inspect that each one is reputable and will pay out your winnings the way you deserve.
The Best Florida Sportsbooks Reviews for 2024
1. Best for Live Betting: Heritage Sports
Key Features
- Reduced juice (-108) beats most competitors
- Some of the most unique perks to make up for smaller bonuses
Once upon a time, you had to get an invitation to join Heritage Sports. Fortunately, anyone in Florida of legal age can create an account and start gambling today at this Costa Rica-based site that has been around since 2001.
Once inside, you will see the site prides itself on offering reduced juice (-108 odds) on sports lines. This is a nice benefit to players from the standard -110 lines on game sides and totals. Not only do you get those lines, but there is a cash-back loyalty program for reduced juice that has other rewards to loyal players.
Heritage Sports is also big on live betting, e-sports markets, and online casino games including scratch cards, and it has a dedicated racebook. Users will also appreciate some of the thoughtful and exclusive perks and promotions, such as getting a free parlay for your birthday with a maximum value of up to $500. You also can get every eighth deposit for free based on the average of the last seven deposits on Heritage Sports.
2. Perfect for Prop Picks: Bovada
Key Features
- Wide range of sports markets, including darts and snooker
- Player prop builder is top tier
- Simple site design is easy to place bets
Bovada is one of the most well-known offshore sites, especially to American users breaking into the gambling industry. The site is easy to navigate with a wide array of sports markets that you can bet on after funding your account from a variety of methods, including crypto.
Bovada is also known for having the busiest online poker room in the country, so poker lovers will have a good time here. You can also play a lottery-style numbers game that is unique to Bovada.
Bovada no longer offers a native app for download, but it has a good website that will work on your favorite device. The welcome bonus is a 75% crypto match worth up to $750. With a rollover of 5x, this is lower than the competition, meaning it will be easier for you to wager enough to convert that Bovada promo code into real money that you can withdraw.
3. Best for Opinionated Lines: BetOnline
Key Features
- Get opinionated lines on your favorite sports
- High rollers will appreciate high limits
BetOnline is right up there with the best of the best. Another A+ rated site out of Costa Rica, BetOnline combines big bonuses, high limits, good site design, an extensive sportsbook, and a big online casino for one of the best gambling experiences around.
Players will get opinionated lines on popular sports they won’t find anywhere else. If you are fortunate enough to win your bets, you can expect some of the fastest payouts in the industry. You can also use a BetOnline promo code to get access to exclusive offers and benefits.
4. Reduced Juice and the Lottery: BetAnySports
Key Features
- Best reduced juice (-105) in the business
- One of the best prop builders
- Lottery drawings from multiple states available
While BetAnySports may not run the sexiest-looking site in the market, there is some ruthless efficiency to how they deliver bettors so many options with prop picks, seven casinos complete with their own game selection, and the best spot to play state lotteries (Florida included) from the comfort of your own home.
The simplicity of the site design can be a strength if you don’t need bells and whistles and just want to place bets. As for those lottery drawings, you will be limited to Pick 2/3/4/5, but it’s still the best place online where you can play that in Florida. You also can get 80% higher payouts if you win.
Users can choose a Less Juice Package that offers -105 reduced lines on sides and totals in popular sports markets. Not only does this outdo the standard lines (-110), but the other competitors offering reduced juice are usually -108.
5. Great for Bettors of All Experience Levels: BookMaker
Key Features
- Early betting lines for sharps
- Accepts players of all experience levels
- Can live bet props on the top sports markets
Bookmaker.eu is our top-rated (A+) sportsbook that has been operating out of Costa Rica since 1996. You know you are going to get a quality gambling experience with the site “where the line originates” as Bookmaker.eu is famous for posting some of the earliest odds in the industry. This attracts Floridian bettors looking for value as well as being a good site for those new to offshore sites.
While some sportsbooks have a bad reputation for severely limiting or even banning players who win a lot, BookMaker will accept plays from everyone, and they have high limits. There is also a good racebook that offers 8% rebate on exotic wagers.
Crypto users can get a welcome bonus of 20% cash up to $500 on their first deposit. Any other method will result in a 25% bonus. These bonuses carry a 10x rollover requirement.
Is online gambling legal in Florida?
The answer is, technically, yes, but most of the gambling that players will want to engage in is not legal in Florida at this time. Only certain forms of online gambling are legal in Florida. For example, you can legally play free poker games, but it is not legal to play online poker games for real money. Horse racing is always legal to bet online, but you cannot legally place a wager on any Florida sports teams for the Super Bowl or Stanley Cup or World Series. If Daily Fantasy Sports qualify as gambling in your mind, then those are legal to bet real money on in Florida. You cannot legally buy a lottery ticket online, but you can always visit one of the 13,000 retailers across the state and buy tickets in person.
Florida’s gambling status is a complicated tale of the laws not keeping up with the technology and demand of the people. Floridians want to gamble on their phones and favorite devices at their leisure, but the state is failing to pass a regulated system to make this legal and bring billions of dollars of revenue to the Sunshine State each year.
But the main thing you must know is that you can gamble online in Florida by using offshore sportsbooks. These sites are not regulated by Florida or U.S. laws, and they only have to abide by the local regulations in their jurisdictions. There is no specific law in Florida prohibiting you from gambling online by using one of these offshore sites, which will accept Florida residents. You are free to do that.
Online Sports Gambling in Florida
Fun as it may be to use your favorite device to play poker, video slot machines, or table games, the real money and excitement in online gambling come with sports betting. The professional leagues realize this as well after several states have legalized sports betting in recent years. The NFL now has partnerships with major gambling companies such as FanDuel, DraftKings, and Caesars. Live game broadcasts are filled with commercials for these companies, and announcers and studio crews are no longer afraid to reference betting lines in their pre-game shows or even from the booth during the game.
Yet, the third-most populous state in the country cannot legally play online with any of these companies. Sure, you can join DraftKings and FanDuel to play Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS), but you better not try joining the Sportsbook app those same companies offer to wager on spreads, totals, and props. DFS is the weird gray area in the legal gambling spectrum in Florida currently. You can put money down that a player will have a good game for your DFS lineup, but you better not place a bet that player will hit his over props on a sportsbook.
This leaves online sports gambling in Florida in a confusing position, but the good news is residents have many alternatives to choose from thanks to offshore sportsbooks.
Advantages of Online Gambling Florida Sites
The state of Florida has seven tribal casinos that you can visit, as well as other land-based gambling establishments (card rooms and racinos), and even some nearby ports for cruises that will offer Vegas-style casino games at sea.
But when leaving the house is not an option, or you just want to play some online slots or bet on a basketball game, online gambling is the best choice for Florida players. Here are some of the advantages of taking your gambling online in Florida:
- No land-based gambling establishment in Florida is going to offer you the wagering variety of an online sportsbook, racebook, online casino gaming, table games, poker tables, and more like most of these offshore sites have
- Place legal sports bets on your favorite sports teams and enjoy a range of markets, including live bets, props, parlays, teasers, and so much more
- Play poker for real money in cash games and tournaments
- Enjoy huge deposit bonuses and other promotions that usually outdo anything a land-based casino offers
- Pay with a debit card, credit card, or bank wire, with no need to handle cash
- More variety in payment methods, including Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, and other altcoins that won’t work in a casino
- Some sites offer demo versions of casino games that you can play for free for fun
- Save on gas money from not driving to a distant casino or land-based gambling establishment in the Sunshine State
- Protect yourself from illness as some casinos can get crowded with random people touching machines you are going to touch too, and may not have the hygiene standards you would hope
- Enjoy private gambling at your leisure at any time on your favorite device, and in your most comfortable clothes and preferred state of cleanliness
Is my financial info safe with an online gambling site in Florida?
The thought of sending personal and financial information to offshore casinos may worry you, but we can tell you there is nothing to fear. The sites on our list are safe, tested, and trustworthy options for your gambling needs. They also offer various deposit and withdrawal methods ranging from credit/debit cards, bank transfers, wire transfers, checks, P2P apps (PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, etc.), eWallets, and cryptocurrencies. Most methods are going to come with a fee and could have vastly different process times for withdrawals, but all that important information is available on each company’s site.
Make Your Best Bets Online in Florida
Until the day comes when the legal process allows you to wager on sports in Florida, joining an offshore sportsbook is your best bet. There is no shortage of offshore sites to choose from for all your online gambling needs. Please refer to our reviews at the top of this guide for the 10 best options to join. No matter which one you ultimately choose, they should all provide a safe and fun gambling experience, and there is no law in Florida preventing you from joining and playing for real money on any of them.
So, have fun and remember to bet responsibly.
FAQs – Online Gambling in Florida
Can you gamble online in Florida?
Due to Florida’s gambling laws, online options are very limited. For online casino gambling and online sports betting, Floridians have to rely on offshore gambling sites.
Is DraftKings Casino legal in Florida?
There are no locally-regulated online casino sites in the state of Florida, so you can not use DraftKings Casino. You can only use the site for Daily Fantasy Sports. Offshore sites accept Florida players and they offer a wide range of online casino games.
What gambling sites can you use in Florida?
Florida does not yet have legal sports betting or online casino gambling, so players have to use offshore gambling sites. These sites accept players from all over the United States, though, and many offer an exciting casino welcome bonus to new players.
What is the best gambling site for Florida?
Bookmaker.eu is the top-rated gambling site available in Florida. This site offers a wide range of casino games, and it is one of the top sites for sports gambling and wagering on horse races. There is also a great deposit match bonus offer for new users.
Do I need a VPN to gamble online in Florida?
You do not need to use a VPN to gamble online in Florida. Offshore sites may operate across international waters but they can still accept players from all over the United States with no restrictions.