With 19 land-based casinos and counting, Florida has a thriving casino industry. Sports betting is also legal in the Sunshine State. Unfortunately, real money online casinos are not legal. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t play casino games online.
There are dozens of legal sweepstakes casinos in Florida. These sites allow you to play slots, table games, and even live casino games for virtual currency that can be redeemed for real money prizes.
This review will tell you about Florida sweepstakes casinos, how to start playing, and everything you need to know about gambling. Let’s get started by going over our top picks.
Fifteen online operator licenses were awarded to the three commercial casinos and 12 tribes, all currently full in Florida. That means no new operators can launch in the state at this stage, although legislation can soon change to allow additional licenses.
The sweepstakes casino games we covered are just one of the many ways you can gamble legally in Florida.
Florida players can access thousands of high-quality online casino games at sweepstakes casinos. Multiple land-based casinos in the state have 1,000+ games on their gaming floors. Here are some games you should expect to see when you gamble online or in-person in Florida.
There’s no guaranteed way to win playing sweepstakes casino games in Florida. There are some things you can do to make your money last longer and maximize your chances of winning, though. The best way is to play games with high RTP percentages.
A game’s RTP tells how much it will pay on average over time. For example, a 96% RTP means, on average, the game will give out $0.96 for every $1 that’s put in. 96% is the average for online slots. Some table games, like blackjack, can be as high as 99.6%.
Florida’s gambling laws are simple but can be complicated. Native American tribes have much leeway, but they are not the only show in town when it comes to casino games and gambling regulations.
Since 2004, the Florida constitution has allowed non-tribal gambling operators to bet on poker, slots, and pari-mutuel on non-tribal lands. The Florida Gaming Control Commission (FGCC) regulates these independent operators.
Tribes are in control of gambling on their land. However, they regularly work with state lawmakers and the governor’s office. For example, in 2021, a special gaming compact between the governor and the Seminole Tribe granted the tribe exclusive rights to sports betting in Florida.
If Florida online casinos are ever legalized, which could be soon according to some lawmakers, they will likely result from something similar to the 2021 sports betting compact.
Getting started with Florida online casinos is a super simple process. You just need to choose where you want to play and fill out a form. If you follow this step-by-step guide, you should be able to start playing casino games within just a few minutes:
You can buy coins if you run out of virtual currency or want some extra to play with. Thankfully, this is a super easy process, as most social casinos in Florida accept various popular casino payment methods. All you need to do is to buy coins is:
Your coins should be credited to your account almost instantly after you submit your purchase. If you get lucky and want to redeem SC, it will, unfortunately, take a little longer. Most sites take at least one banking day to process redemption requests. On the bright side, you’ll usually have the option to exchange your SC for cash prizes, gift cards, crypto, and more.
Anyone over the age of 18 can play sweepstakes casino games in Florida. You do not need to be a state resident or even inside the state’s borders to play at Florida social casinos.
If you are over 18, you can play sweepstakes casino games. These casinos may ask you for proof of your identity, such as a picture of your driver’s license or passport.
However, the state does have additional rules for sweepstakes casinos. Florida law requires any entity offering a prize of over $5,000 to register their competition with the state at least seven days before the start of the competition. To circumvent this rule, sweepstakes casinos cap the amount players in Florida can redeem in one day at $5,000.
The FGGC regulates all gambling in Florida. This agency is led by a five-member committee appointed by the governor. The FGGC works with the governor’s office, the Florida Attorney General, and other state agencies to investigate and enforce violations of Florida gambling laws.
Mobile casino apps allow you to access your favorite games anywhere with an internet connection. This level of convenience makes mobile gaming far superior to playing at desktop casino sites. It’s not the only benefit to playing on the go, either.
Most of us are far more comfortable using our phones than PCs. This makes using casino apps a more streamlined experience for many players. Smartphones also have added security compared to laptops and computers with touch/face ID.
All the best Florida sweepstakes casinos have casino apps and/or HTML5-optimized mobile browser sites that you can play on your iOS or Android device today.
Florida has some of the richest history with organized gambling in the US. The state’s first casino establishment opened in Tampa back in 1887. In-person gambling was eventually criminalized and then re-legalized.
Online gambling has a bit of a similar story. Like most states, online gambling was illegal in Florida until 2018, when the Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act.
Governor Ron DeSantis entered into a gaming compact with the Seminole Tribe in 2021 to give them the exclusive right to operate online sportsbooks in the state. That agreement lasted less than two years as private sector companies challenged the compact’s legality. The courts eventually upheld the compact in 2024, re-legalizing online gambling in Florida.
Here are some other significant events in Florida’s complicated gambling history:
Slot machines and other forms of gambling are made illegal in Florida.
Bingo is legalized with limits on bingo winnings.
Florida voters vote against amending the state constitution to legalize gambling.
The Seminole Tribe challenges bingo limits and begins hosting high-stakes bingo games.
Voters again reject an amendment to legalize gambling in Florida. However, voters did approve the creation of the Florida Lottery.
President Ronald Reagan signs the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act into law, giving the Seminole Tribe the right to operate video lottery slot machines, poker tables, and other previously banned forms of gambling.
Florida voters finally approve a constitutional amendment to allow slots and other casino games at non-tribal casinos.
Governor Ron DeSantis agrees to a gaming compact with the Seminole Tribe to legalize sports betting in Florida.
In states that have legalized online casinos, “legal online casinos” mean casino sites to which the state gambling regulators have given licenses. In Florida, it’s a little different. Online casinos are not legal in Florida, so there are technically no legal real-money online casinos in the state. That doesn’t mean there aren’t legal ways to play online casino games in Florida.
Since these sites are not regulated in the state, there’s no recourse should something happen. Also, there’s no guarantee that these sites take any precautions to protect your personal information or the money in your account. Likewise, if the site shuts down suddenly, there’s no regulatory body to assure you’d get your money back.You can access dozens of offshore online casinos from Florida, which are owned by companies based abroad. Many have licenses from other gambling jurisdictions, such as the Malta Gaming Authority, Kahnawake Gaming Commission, or the Curaçao Gaming Control Board.
While many people use these sites in states where online casinos are illegal, we would not recommend you do so. Offshore operators are completely unregulated as far as US laws are concerned. They do not need to follow Anti Money Laundering (AML) or Know Your Customer (KYC) laws. If a site rips you off, you may get no support from the government to help you get your money back.
If you want to gamble online, you are better off sticking with Florida sweepstakes casinos than offshore sites.
While Florida lawmakers have hesitated to legalize online casinos, the Sunshine State is one of the biggest land-based casino markets in the US. There are 19 brick-and-mortar casinos in Florida, including eight tribal casinos that the FGCC regulates.
With a massive 245,000 square-foot gaming floor, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa is one of the top ten biggest casinos in the US. It’s not empty space, either. The casino has over 5,000 slot machines, twice as many as the second-biggest casino in Florida.
Speaking of the second biggest casino in Florida, that title goes to Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood. This Broward County casino is an iconic South Florida location thanks to its guitar-shaped hotel and 100-acre grounds, which contain multiple pools, resort amenities, and the actual 150,000-square-foot casino.
There are many casinos in the Miami metro area, but there is only one, Casino Miami. This casino shot onto the scene in 2012 as a Miami Jai-Alai. It’s had a bit of a turbulent history since then, with Jai-Alai no longer being played in the former area. However, it’s still one of the most popular casinos in Florida due to its 1,000 games and great location.
No. Florida has legalized online sports betting, but the Sunshine State legislature has not legalized online casinos. For now, social and sweepstakes casino sites are the only legal way to play casino games online in Florida.
Florida gambling law does not prohibit free-to-play social casinos. This means popular sweepstakes casinos are legal to play in Florida. However, remember that the Florida government does not license these sites, so make sure to only play with a site you can trust.
Stake.us, RealPrize, High 5 WOW Vegas, and Hello Millions are our experts’ picks for the best Florida online casinos. Keep in mind that these are sweepstakes casinos and not traditional real-money casinos.
Generally speaking, yes. The Florida sweepstakes casinos highlighted in this article are national brands with solid reputations and thousands of players. These sites and the other big sweepstakes casinos in the USA are safe to play.
Yes! You can claim bonuses from online casinos in Florida without even making a deposit. All the best Florida social casinos give you free coins as soon as you create your account.