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Sports Betting in Jacksonville, FL
This is our quick Jacksonville (FL) online sports betting guide. Check the gambling sites, legal sportsbooks, mobile apps. Read about nearby casinos, gambling locations in 2019/2020. Find out more about best Jacksonville area casino, racetracks near Jacksonville (Gulfstream Park, Gulfstream Park West, and Tampa Bay Downs) and sports betting destinations like Best Bet Casino and Dunn Ave Cyber Cafe here.
Jacksonville Sports Betting Options
Penalties are very harsh in Jacksonville and all of Florida if one is caught organizing illegal gambling. As juxtaposition to this, state residents enjoy a number of opportunities for legal gambling at Tribal Casinos, poker rooms and also Bingo halls. Gamblers can also take what’s called a ‘cruise to nowhere’ and gamble in international waters.
Jacksonville has seen a somewhat complex and colourful gambling history. Organized crime and conservative political groups have been fighting it out for more than 100 years. The late 1800s saw Henry Flagler build the first (albeit illegal) casino at St. Augustine, which catered for the high-rollers of the day. Interestingly though, Flagler built both a church and a casino next to each of his hotel resorts, perhaps spreading his chances of success.
In terms of sports betting in Jacksonville players can only bet using pari-mutuel machines on horse and dog racing. Keen gamblers can also wager on Jai-Alai, which is a regional ball game in a 3-walled court.
The city of Jacksonville and the state has a rich gambling history, with casinos going back as far as the late 1800’s. It wasn’t until 2004 though that things really started to grow, when legalized slots in 2 counties paved the way for the market leading tribal casinos to form.
The main legislation in the state has remained mostly unchanged and contains some very harsh penalties for both the organizers and players of any games gambled upon. The main definition is as follows:
“Whoever plays or engages in any game at cards, keno, roulette, faro or other game of chance, at any place, by any device whatever, for money or other thing of value, shall be guilty of a misdemeanour of the second degree…”
That being said, sports betting could soon be coming to Jacksonville in the future through a likely source. Much rests on whether the influential Seminole Tribe are interested in including sports betting in casinos on tribal land.
