Florida Gambling & Gaming Laws (2026)
A comprehensive legal reference for gambling & gaming in the state of Florida. This guide covers current statutes, penalties, and restrictions for 6 different categories.
Daily Fantasy Sports
LEGALDaily Fantasy Sports are legal in Florida. In late 2025 and early 2026, there have been renewed legislative efforts to formally legalize and regulate daily fantasy sports, but no law has been passed yet.
DFS Rules
Legal
Licensed Operators
Legal
Penalties
N/A
Minimum Age
18+
Gambling Age
RESTRICTEDThe minimum gambling age in Florida is 21 for casino gambling and sports betting. State law sets the minimum gambling age at 21 for casino gambling.
Casino Minimum Age
21+ for casinos/sports betting; 18+ for lottery
Lottery/Other Gambling Age
Legal
Penalties
Underage gambling is a misdemeanor; venues face license revocation.
Minimum Gambling Age
18-21 depending on type
Online Casinos & Poker
RESTRICTEDFlorida currently prohibits online casino gambling and poker except for limited authorized tribal gaming under the Seminole Compact. The state is engaged in ongoing litigation and legislative efforts regarding online gambling expansion.
Online Casino Rules
Possession of unauthorized online gambling software is illegal under Fla. Stat. § 849.086.
Licensed Platforms
Sale or operation of online gambling services is restricted to tribal operators under compact; unauthorized sales are illegal.
Penalties
Felony punishable by up to 5 years imprisonment and fines under Fla. Stat. § 849.093.
Minimum Age
21 years and older for authorized gambling.
Online Gambling / Sports Betting
UNVERIFIEDLegal status of Online Gambling / Sports Betting in Florida has not yet been verified. In early 2026, lawmakers introduced bills (HB 189, SB 1164) to strengthen penalties against illegal gambling and clarify that online casinos are prohibited, reinforcing the Seminole Tribe's exclusivity.
Online Gambling Rules
Unverified
Licensed Operators
Unverified
Penalties
Unverified
Minimum Age
Unverified
Poker Home Games
LEGALSocial poker home games are legal in Florida as long as no one takes a rake or house cut from the pot. No significant changes to the penny-ante game laws.
Home Game Rules
Legal for social games without a rake
Rake/House Cut Rules
N/A
Penalties
Taking a rake converts it to illegal gambling.
Age Requirements
Varies, typically 18+
Sports Betting
RESTRICTEDSports betting is legal with restrictions in Florida. Hard Rock Bet relaunched in December 2023 after legal battles.
In-Person Betting
Restricted. Florida's sports betting status is legally uncertain. The Seminole Tribe's 2021 gaming compact included mobile sports betting through the Hard Rock Bet app, but it was challenged in federal court. The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the compact's sports betting provisions in 2023. The Seminole Tribe has continued to operate under various legal theories, and the situation remains in flux.
Online/Mobile Betting
The Hard Rock Bet app has operated intermittently. Retail sportsbooks at Seminole casinos. The legal status of both remains subject to ongoing litigation.
Penalties
Florida Statute § 849 covers illegal gambling. Operating an illegal gambling business is a third-degree felony (up to 5 years). Simple gambling is a second-degree misdemeanor.
Minimum Betting Age
21+