Florida Gambling
FAQ / Q&A -- History -- Regulation -- Land Based Casinos -- Fun Facts
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Florida Online Casinos and Real Money Slots
Regulation and legality of online gambling
Since there is no mention of online gambling in Florida laws that regulate gambling, internet real money wagers cannot be considered illegal. Locals have no in-state sites to play at, but the range of licensed offshore sites satisfies their gambling appetites. Internet cafes served as a front for gambling games for a while, and they were banned in 2013. There are no indications that any laws will be composed regarding online gambling in Florida any time soon. Some initiative was noted about signing interstate agreements with neighbor states which would allow online poker, but the current Florida lawmakers in office haven’t yet signed in to that proposal.
Florida has always had an ambivalent relationship with gambling has a whole, and the current situation is no different from the usual normal. Online gambling isn’t technically legal in Florida, but it’s also not illegal at the same time. How is this possible?
Well, that’s because online gambling simply isn’t mentioned in Florida’s legislation. According to Florida’s state law, section 849.08, individuals who partake in any sort of game of chance “shall be found guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree.”
While such language might make it seem that Florida will crack down on anyone partaking in online gambling, the reality is quite different. Aside from 8 tribal casinos and 25 racinos that are in the state, players can also embark on gambling cruises, where ships sail just inside international borders in order to be out of reach as far as Florida’s laws are concerned.
Even though the state’s official outlook towards online gambling is negative, mainly due to former Gov. Rick Scott stalling all efforts to make a change, Florida is actually very lenient compared to most states.
You can gamble at online casinos that are based somewhere out-of-state or abroad. Since Florida doesn’t explicitly ban online gambling, sites can accept Floridians. Therefore, there are a lot of options for gaming over the internet in Florida, but you’re going to have to accept that you’ll be operating in a legal grey area.
History
Casinos in Florida started to appear in the late 1800s. Early high rollers in Florida had the opportunity to visit the first (illegal) casino in St. Augustine built by Henry Flagler. The Bacchus Club Casino in St. Augustine was built next to a church and Flagler’s hotels, so it was kind of a package deal. Another important key event in the evolution of Florida gambling was the introduction of ‘bolita’, which was imported from Cuba in 1920. Bolita has some similarities with bingo and it became very popular, attracting even members of the Mob.
Many crime bosses spent the winter in Florida due to its warm weather all-year-long until the 1940s. Famous criminals like Al Capone visited Florida and Tampa was notorious for many organized crime-related shootings in the period. In 1979, the Seminole tribe was the first to a high-stakes bingo hall on their land, initiating tribal gambling in the state of Florida.
It is common to put Florida land-based casinos in three groups: Indian casinos, racinos (gaming machines at pari-mutuel facilities) and casino boats. The Seminole tribe holds the most casinos on their lands, more than half a dozen, and there is only one establishment that belongs to the Miccosukee and is located on their reservation. The Seminoles have a compact signed with the state, and it allows them to offer traditional Class III gaming machines, aka slots. They also provide blackjack, baccarat and poker tables, as well as less conventional variations of Let it Ride, Pai Gow Poker and Mini-Baccarat.
Seminole-run casinos include Seminole Casino Immokalee, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Hollywood and Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tampa, among others. The Immokalee facilities opened in 1994 in Collier County, Immokalee. The casino offers Vegas-style gaming machines (more than 1,300 of them) and 38 tables. It recently expanded the property. The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tampa opened in 2004 spreading across 190,000 square feet. It is the sixth largest casino in the world, themed around rock and roll music. The venue boasts more than 5,000 Vegas-style slots and over a hundred tables, accompanied by electronic craps and roulette machines.
From Cape Canaveral to Port Richey, gamblers can get access to casino cruise ships and experience classy boat gambling at sea. By taking advantage of the lack of laws in international waters in the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, Florida cruise casinos offer a wide variety of gambling items such as sportsbook betting, poker, craps, roulette, slots and more. The Victory Casino Cruises ships offer five and six-hour-long cruises with gaming possibilities such as bingo, Mississippi Stud, Let it Ride, slots and blackjack, to name a few.
The remaining facilities are racetrack-type gaming establishments where players can enjoy placing bets on horse and dog races, as well as Jai-Alai, slots and poker. Notable racinos in Florida are Pompano Park, Casino Miami Jai-Alai, Gulfstream Park Racing and Casino and Derby Lane.
What is the minimum age to gamble online in Florida?
There is no official minimum age pertaining to online gambling in Florida. However, that doesn’t mean that just about anyone can play. Law enforcement still has the right to take action if there is sufficient proof that minors are partaking in gambling activities.
Florida’s Division of Consumer Services, the state’s main gambling regulatory body, allows anyone over the age of 18 to gamble unless there is alcohol served within the venue. In that case, 21 is the minimum.
Since there is no alcohol at online establishments, you can consider 18 as the minimum age for online gambling. Most sites ask for proof of identity nowadays, so there’s basically no way anyone underage can gamble, anyway.
What games are available at Florida online casinos?
As there is a cornucopia of offshore brands and out-of-state casinos that are willing to welcome, there’s basically no game that you can’t play. Plus, there is an added bonus to the situation - most sites that willingly welcome Floridian players constantly survey the market add titles that gaming aficionados might like.
Therefore, you can find anything from the latest slots, to even some cult classics from the 1980s and 90s. Table games are also bigger than ever, with a million variants being available for every classic title. Since there are so many options available, you might have to do some research before you make a definite casino choice.
Do live dealer games exist at casino sites in Florida?
Yes, Florida online casinos offer many live dealer games. Since this genre of gaming is one of the most popular right now, sites can’t refuse to lose out on precious traffic. Therefore, you can expect sites to regularly add live dealer titles from esteemed developers.
In recent years, companies have been adding RNG-elements to live casino games. This has essentially created a hybrid genre, with the games being part-human controlled, part RNG-controlled. When it comes to Florida casinos, you can find an abundance of such titles, too.
Do Florida online casinos offer a lot of payment options?
Yes, casino sites in Florida offer all the most popular payment options. You will find that just about every website puts credit cards and bank transfers as their foremost options. This is the case because just about everyone has a card and a bank account, thereby making it easy for just about everyone to start gaming.
There are also more modern payment methods, such as the use of eWallets. Skrill, Neteller, and PayPal are using the ubiquitousness of internet access to provide people with an even easier way of storing and sending money. Florida online casinos also offer niche options, such as PayNearMe and Paysafe card.
Cryptos such as Ethereum, Bitcoin, and Litecoin are all the craze right now. They provide players with unparalleled privacy and speeds that all other transaction methods pale in comparison to.
How much do I have to wait before I get paid?
The amount of time you have to wait before receiving your withdrawal depends on the payment method you’ve chosen, as well as the site’s very own rules. Different platforms and providers impose different waiting times because of the technology they use and the presence of intermediaries in the transaction process.
Banks, for instance, are known to stall the process because of their verification protocols. Thus, the user of cards or bank transfers results in a wait of 2-3 business days. Some eWallets do offer instant transfers, but they do involve higher fees. In case you’re not willing to pay an extra percentage, 24 hours is a reasonable expectation.
Cryptos, on the other hand, are lightning-fast due to the lack of intermediaries and the very nature of blockchain tech. Users usually report a 30-minute clearance when using Bitcoin.
Can I get in trouble for gambling online in Florida?
No, you cannot suffer legal consequences for partaking in online gambling in Florida. To charge an individual with a crime, the accused has to be breaking an existing law. Since gambling over the internet legally doesn’t exist, you’re good to go.
The only party that can get in trouble is the casino that you’re playing at. But even them getting in trouble is highly unlikely. Florida’s DA’s know that taking legal action against hundreds of casinos accepting Floridians would take too much time, so they let it slide.
What kind of bonuses can I expect to see at Floridian casino sites?
The most common types of bonuses available at Florida online casinos are deposit bonuses and welcome bonuses. The former involves you adding money into your account and received a reward in the form of money, free spins, or something else.
Welcome bonuses, on the other hand, can involve deposits, too. However, they are unique because they’re handed out only when you’re logging into your account for the first time. Basically, a welcome bonus can be a deposit bonus at the same time, but it doesn’t have to be.
What security measures do Florida casinos usually implement?
The best casino sites in Florida use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption, perhaps the most advanced form of data protection. In addition to this protocol, casinos also use various firewalls. There is also the addition of identity verification procedures, such as video identification or scanning a document. Whilst it may seem archaic, this approach decimates the possibility of fraudulent activities taking place.
Are welcome bonuses commonplace at online casinos in Florida?
Yes, but it depends on the time of year. The bonus itself may change over time. To get the best possible promotions, keep track of a few sites so that you can pounce on any offer as soon as it hits the virtual shelves.
Fun Facts about Florida
- It is against the law in Florida to skydive on Sundays if you’re an unmarried woman. Also, it’s illegal to wear swimwear in public and sing. You need to have a license to be able to skateboard and you could be fined for falling asleep under a hair dryer.
- The suntan lotion was invented by a Florida pharmacist, Benjamin Green, in Miami in 1944. He cooked cocoa butter in a granite coffee pot on his wife's stove.
- Wherever you may be in Florida, you are never more than 60 miles away from the ocean water.
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