Online Poker in Florida – Is It Legal?
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Scott Kacsmar
- August 25, 2024
From televised tournaments with huge prizes to tense movie scenes with great actors, the exciting game of chance and skill has long been one of the most popular forms of gambling entertainment in American culture. But the legality of this game has long been up in the air with infamous scenes in those movies of secret in-person games being portrayed as seedy behavior. Now with the rise of online gambling, we have even more options to play poker with strangers and win big prizes as it is still a game of skill in addition to luck.
Florida has many options for playing poker, and we have compiled a comprehensive guide that lists and reviews the best online poker sites in Florida for 2024. We also cover everything you need to know about the legality of playing this classic game on online gambling sites, where you can play poker in person in Florida, tips for becoming a good poker player, and how to join some real money poker sites and start playing right away.
Best Sportsbooks in Florida for 2024
| SPORTSBOOK | TRUST SCORE | ONLINE SINCE | Expert Review | BONUS | Bet Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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2011
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$750 Cash Bonus
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1996
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$1,000 Cash Bonus
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2001
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$250 Free Bet
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2002
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100% Free Play
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The Best Florida Online Poker Sites
In Florida, you have a wide selection of U.S.-friendly online poker sites. All of these sites will allow real-money Florida bets and include cash games, tournaments, sit-and-go’s and more. We recommend these offshore sportsbooks for the best online poker experience and online sports gambling.
Florida Online Poker Sites Reviewed
It can be difficult to pick the best online poker gambling rooms. Fortunately, in this next section, we will rank our top five online poker sites for Florida players to check out along with our detailed reviews on each site.
1. Elite Online Poker Room: BetOnline
Key Features
- Generous $1,000 welcome bonus
- One of the best sportsbooks in addition to poker
BetOnline has been offering a top-tier online poker room as well as a sportsbook, a comprehensive online casino section and racebook since 2001. It is part of the Chico Poker Network, along with sister site SportsBetting.ag and popular online casino Tiger Gaming.
It is generally the third-busiest poker network in the United States, only trailing Bovada’s PaiWangLuo Network and America’s Cardroom. It ranks among the top 15 busiest poker networks in the world.
You can play an array of tournaments, divided into several key categories:
- Sunday Majors
- Nightly Monsters
- $1 Million Windfall
- Progressive Bounties
- Rebuy Frenzy
- Omaha
- Windfall Sit ’n Go
You can also create your own tournaments using the “Tournament Requests” feature. Each Sunday’s main event features a guaranteed $150,000 prize pool and there are $30,000 and $20,000 tournaments on Sundays as well. BetOnline also features a highly competitive $1,000 poker welcome bonus for new users when using BetOnline promo codes.
2. Busiest Poker Site in U.S.: Bovada
Key Features
- Good loyalty program for users looking to play poker frequently
- Weekly tournaments with potential for big prize money
Bovada runs the busiest online poker site for U.S. users. It is easy to use for those new to offshore sportsbooks. There is $2 million in guaranteed weekly prize pools for poker. There is a 100% poker welcome bonus up to $500 that has no rollover requirement, but it is released in $5 increments over a 30-day period. In addition to the generous welcome offer for poker players, there is a wide selection of promo codes at Bovada that can be used to gain additional value.
There is a good loyalty program that rewards returning, loyal customers. You can earn 15 points for every $1 rake on a cash game or for every $1 spent on poker tournament fees. Points are used to redeem rewards that get better as you reach higher loyalty levels.
Bovada also offers one of the most robust online betting sites with plenty of player props and different sports markets covered. You can also play their lottery-style numbers game and bet on horse racing for the complete online casino experience.
3. Busy Poker Room: Everygame
Key Features
- 14 deposit methods including cryptocurrency
- No-limit games available for high-end players
Everygame offers one of the best welcome bonuses to poker players. With your first deposit, you can get 200% up to $1,000 plus 25 free casino spins. Plus, there are a wide variety of promo codes at Everygame that players can take advantage of. Everygame also offers tournaments and cash games (Texas Hold‘em and Omaha).
Everygame is fast and sleek with the option to download software to your PC or favorite mobile device. The site has various Video Poker games including Aces and Face, Deuces Wild, Jacks or Better, Quad Poker, Tens or Better, and Double Joker.
There is a whole section of the site devoted to poker. One of the most popular parts of the poker room at Everygame are the Sundowner specials. There is one every Sunday that has a $10,000 prize. Additionally, Everygame Casino can provide poker players with a complete casino gambling experience.
Is online poker legal in Florida?
As you may have guessed by now, the answer is no, online poker is not legal in Florida. At least not the kind with any real money involved. Florida has struggled to move forward with a legalized online gambling platform.
Fortunately, many Florida residents still enjoy playing in poker tournaments at offshore sportsbooks, provided that they are reputable ones like the online casinos we have on our list. These sites will offer you the ability to play online poker for real money with safe payouts. You can also visit an Indian casino or racino (combo of racetrack and casino) and legally play poker in nice rooms.
Video Poker
Video poker is different from traditional poker in that it is played from a gaming kiosk. It is more or less a mixture of slots and 5-card poker. Cards are drawn randomly from a virtual deck. If that sounds fishy, remember that these games are audited for having appropriate randomness.
Ultimately, video poker is easier to win and requires less skill than regular poker. Anyone can click their way through a game and win without having to show the patience that regular poker usually requires. Video poker has many variations, including Joker’s Wild and Deuces Wild. You can play these games at casinos or on your favorite mobile apps.
Casual Poker Games
At a time when people spend less in-person time together than ever before, the thought of a poker game with friends sitting around a table might sound nice. This is legal in Florida, but there is a laughable limit that the winnings of any player in a single round, hand, or game do not exceed $10 in value.
Four guys getting drunk off cheap beer is not exactly the imagery we got from the movie Molly’s Game, a true story set in the world of underground poker games between high rollers. How would the government even know your buddy cleaned you out for hundreds of dollars one night? No idea, but it is amusing to think this could be regulated and punished. But don’t worry, your residence is not going to look like a scene out of Rounders! A game amongst casual poker players should just be simple fun in the privacy of your own dwelling.
Florida Poker Laws
Players in Florida do have multiple options for legal poker. Players who are at least 18 years of age can visit a racino or tribal casino to play poker. They can host small, private games in a private residence at their leisure. But the thing they cannot do is play online poker games for real money that are legal. It is not regulated in Florida as of 2024 despite some recent progress toward legalizing gambling in the state.
At the same time, there is no law against joining an offshore sportsbook and playing poker for real money there, which is what many Florida residents do and will continue to do until the legal situation is fixed here.
Florida Poker – Live and in Person
Even as the battle to legalize sports betting in Florida rages on, there are plenty of places to enjoy poker games in person throughout the Sunshine State.
Bestbet Poker (Jacksonville)
The best spot in Jacksonville has over 70 tables running several game types each day. There are daily tournaments and cash games. Most tournaments are Texas Hold’em, but you can also play Omaha and Seven Card Stud. It is welcoming to players of all experience levels with many different stakes available.
Hialeah Park (Miami-Dade County)
Home to a historic racetrack, Hialeah Park has been a mainstay for decades in Florida. The renovated casino offers a classy poker room with table games offering some of the highest payouts in the country. They offer all the popular games, including Texas Hold’em, Seven Card Stud, and Omaha Hi-Lo. At just five minutes from Miami International Airport, this is the place to check out in South Florida.
Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood (Boca Raton and Palm Beach)
If you want an experience with great ambiance and a lot of high rollers, Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood is the poker room to visit. Located in an upscale area of Florida, this poker room offers daily cash games and tournaments. If high-stakes poker is up your alley, this is where you want to go.
Derby Lane (St. Petersburg)
Derby Lane features 50 poker tables and is open all day on the weekend. You can play Omaha 8, Texas Hold’em, and Mixed Games.
Oxford Downs Poker Room (Summerfield)
Oxford Downs offers a wide variety of poker tournaments and cash games, including:
- Ranking of Hands
- 7 Card Stud & 7 Card Stud Hi-Lo
- Omaha & Omaha Hi-Lo
- Texas Hold’em
- Pineapple Hold’em
- Crazy Pineapple Hold’em
Making Florida Poker Online Deposits
You will need to add funds to your account before you can start playing online poker in real-money Florida games. The best poker sites will offer a variety of payment options, including but not limited to:
- Credit/debit card
- Person 2 Person (PayPal, Venmo, CashApp, Zelle, etc.)
- Cryptocurrency (Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, etc.)
- Voucher/gift card
- Wire transfer
- Money transfers
Some of these banking methods will be subject to deposit fees, especially for credit cards. You will always want to check the payment section on each site to see the associated fees and limits for each payment method. Some will have no fee and some could have fees in the area of $50-55.
Playing Legal Online Poker Florida
There is technically no legal online poker site in Florida where you can play real money games. There are legal sites where you can play poker for free such as PokerStars. But anything involving real money is not regulated, and this is why Florida residents tend to opt for offshore casinos for their poker needs.
Anything involving real money is not regulated, and this is why Florida residents tend to opt for offshore sportsbooks for their poker needs. These offshore poker platforms provide a safe environment to play for real money online in Florida.
Tips for Online Poker Real Money Florida
Here are a few tips for playing to win online poker in Florida:
- Lose the ego: Sometimes folding is the right move, and you should not chase losses or go all-in to one-up an opponent.
- Learn how to bluff: It takes practice, but good players learn how to bluff just enough to get better players to fold.
- Start small: Start with small stakes so you can build your bankroll up.
- Find your game: There are different types of poker games (Texas Hold‘em, Omaha, Seven Card Stud, Five Card Draw, etc.) and it will be up to you to figure out which one suits you best as a player.
- Do research: Read up on the odds of hitting certain hands so you can make better decisions during a game. Consult an odds calculator.
How to Play Online Poker in Florida
We will walk you through the general steps to start an account at one of these offshore poker sites so you can play online poker in Florida. This is generally going to be the same, simple process for any site you look to join whether it is BetOnline or Bovada, or Heritage Sports.
Step 1: Visit the Web Page
When you enter a site that has betting, there will be a “join” or “sign up” option somewhere visible. Click that to begin creating your account.
Step 2: Complete the Registration Process
Enter your personal details to create your account with a password. Expect to enter such info as your name, date of birth, phone number, and email address. Additional information may need to be collected later to verify your identity, such as the last four digits of your social security number.
Step 3: Make Your First Deposit
Once you complete the registration process, you can deposit money into your account. Do read about the welcome bonuses and any other first deposit offers before you make that deposit.
Some offshore poker sites offer massive bonuses for online poker players that are new, or loyal, to their platforms.
Step 4: Start Playing Poker
Now that you have your account and some money in it, you are ready to join a poker table and start playing poker in Florida. Find the poker section on the website or your app and get ready to enjoy yourself. Just remember to bet responsibly and not beyond your means.
Playing Poker in Florida
Florida offers several land-based establishments for players to engage in poker games, or you could always do it in the privacy of your own home with friends and family. But sometimes the need to play late at night or when you can’t get to an in-person game arrives, and that is when you really miss not having an app you can just open and play real-money poker games.
Since Florida has not yet legalized playing poker for real money, many players will turn to an offshore sportsbook or a Tribal casino for their poker needs, lest they are forced to stick to casual poker games.
The Seminole Tribe of Florida and other American Tribes in Florida operate legal table games, dealer games and casino-style games of chance for those that want to participate in in-person casino gambling or a physical card game. This is because American Tribes are on Federal land, so they do not need to follow a state’s gambling laws. However, the travel to one of these Tribal casinos isn’t for everyone, so using an online poker platform or online gaming app is usually the best bet for those that are looking for some quick poker action.
With offshore poker platforms you can play cash games and tournaments, and there are always bonuses and a variety of promotions available for loyal customers. Reputable offshore sites such as Bovada, BetOnline, and Everygame are there for you when you can’t get to a poker game in person. They are also open to players of all experience levels.
Give offshore poker a try if you want something fun and easy to do and casual games just aren’t cutting it.
FAQs – Florida Online Poker
Is online poker legal in Florida?
No, it is illegal to play poker for real money in Florida. Only a handful of states in the U.S. have passed online poker laws that have legalized this form of gambling as of 2024.
Can you play online poker in Florida?
Yes, you can play online poker both legally in Florida on one of many poker websites. If the site offers a free game without real money involved, it is legal as it is regulated online poker.
Can you play poker for real money in Florida?
The Sunshine State has several native in-person locations that you can go to and play poker in order to win real money, but you can also win real money by playing poker online at an offshore sportsbook.
Do I need a VPN to play online poker in Florida?
You do not need a VPN to play online poker in Florida. The offshore betting providers in our ranking are all legal poker sites that accept Florida residents.
Where can I play online poker in Florida?
You can play online poker in the Sunshine State today by revisiting our review above, picking your betting provider and signing up.
