Seminoles get OK to allow in-person sports betting in Florida. What you need to know
Sports betting is back in Florida after the U.S. Supreme Court gave the OK for on-site betting to Seminole Tribe leaders who announced Wednesday a plan to get things rolling by next month.
In addition to allowing craps and roulette into Seminole casinos, sports betting will also be legal on casino grounds, though online sports betting remains pending at the Florida Supreme Court and is separate from the federal lawsuit.
However, part of the deal, known as a compact, included a “hub-and-spoke” plan that would let people place mobile sports wagers anywhere in Florida, as long as the bets were handled by computer servers on the tribe’s property.
Florida fantasy sports: Florida sent cease-and-desist letters to three daily fantasy sports operators. What to know
Wednesday’s announcement was only in regard to in-person betting. A spokesperson for the Seminoles told the News Service of Florida that details on when betting statewide could go into effect remained unclear.
The deal passed through the U.S. Supreme Court on Oct. 25 after it refused to block the 2021 deal, according to the News Service of Florida. Sports betting in Florida will go live on Dec. 7 at the Seminole’s three South Florida casinos.
The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa will follow suit on Dec. 8, and Seminole casinos in Immokalee and Brighton will allow it on Dec. 11.
Here’s what to know about Florida sports betting.
What does Florida consider gambling?
Florida defines gambling as playing or engaging in any card game or game of chance, at any place, by any device, for money or another thing of value. Most forms of gambling are prohibited, but there are specific exemptions, such as the Florida Lottery.
What is sports betting?
In sports betting, people will place wagers through a bookmaker or a sportsbook based on sports predictions.
Sports betting became legal in Florida in 2021 through a pact between the Seminoles and Gov. Ron DeSantis, but the compact was ruled unconstitutional because the compact's plan to allow people to gamble from remote locations.
What types of bets and wagers are legal in Florida?
Pari-mutuel wagering on live and intertrack horse and jai-alai activities at licensed racetracks and jai-alai frontons.
Casino gambling, including slots and table games, on certain Indian tribal lands.
The Florida lottery games.
Poker and Dominoes played for money, but only in a licensed cardrooms
Penny-ante games including poker, pinochle, bridge, rummy, canasta, hearts, dominoes, and mah-jongg may be played outside a cardroom only if the winnings of any player in a single game do not exceed $10 in value.
Slot machine gaming at one of the eight licensed pari-mutuel facilities located in Miami-Dade or Broward counties.
Bingo, sweepstakes, and drawings for chance, if they comply with state law.
What are daily fantasy sports?
Daily fantasy sports involves players assembling virtual rosters of professional athletes, and then competing against others based on the performance of those athletes in real life, according to the Associated Press. It is played for fun, as well as for cash.
Is daily fantasy sports betting legal in Florida?
Not exactly. There are no laws in the Florida Constitution permitting gambling in daily fantasy sports games, but there are no laws expressly prohibiting it either.
Until now, there has never been an attempt to stop Floridians from taking part in daily fantasy sports games.
Florida adult arcade crackdown:Adult arcade crackdown, sports betting update: What gambling is legal in Florida and what isn't?
What forms of gambling are legal in Florida?
Florida law allows retail casino gambling, pari-mutuel wagers, horse racing and the state lottery.
Can you gamble online in Florida?
Real money gambling isn’t legal in Florida, though you can still play legal casino games online at social casinos. Social casinos are online casinos where bets are made using virtual chips that have no real-world value.
What is the legal age to gamble in Florida?
The minimum gambling age is 21 for casino games and 18 for lottery games, poker, bingo, and pari-mutuel betting such as horse racing and jai alai.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Florida sports betting is set to be legal soon. What you need to know
