Florida Legal Sports Betting – The Latest

As sports betting continues to sweep across the United States, a handful of states within the union have continued to hold out against it. Among these is Florida – the third-most populous state in the nation, home to a litany of retail gambling locations.

The Sunshine State figures to be a rich market for online sportsbooks, but thus far, the path toward legalization remains at an impasse.

Here, we’ll go over the latest about the status of legal betting apps in the state.

Is Sports Betting Legal in Florida?

No. As of October 2023, sports betting remains illegal in Florida and is not on a clear path to legalization. Customers who wish to use Florida betting apps must settle for DFS for the time being, as the legal situation continues to sort itself out.

Latest Legal Developments

Towards the end of September 2023, the DC Circuit Court of Appeals denied a stay motion from West Flagler Associates – a group that has made moves in the legal battle around sports betting in Florida. The result of the decision is that sports betting in Florida will remain under the jurisdiction of the Seminole Tribe, barring any further legal complications.

While that may allow for retail betting on sports at select Florida locations, the legality of mobile sportsbooks in the state remains a gray area. Mobile sports bets haven’t been accepted in Florida since December 2021.

Expected FL Apps

For the brief time sports betting was available in Florida in 2021, it was run through one mobile sportsbook – Hard Rock Bet. It stands to reason that they’ll be in the mix if sports betting returns to the Sunshine State. Legislative initiatives to bring sports betting to Florida have been backed by DraftKings and FanDuel, so they’d likely be in the mix as Day 1 options as well.