Is Online Poker Legal in Florida? Things to Know About Poker Laws

Many times we have come to the fact that although the United States legalizes online casinos, not all states are obliged to do the same. That is why there is a significant difference between state laws and federal laws. Although it is 2024, Florida still does not have fully regulated online gambling rights and principles.

However, residents are looking for a way to be able to play online poker regardless of legal restrictions.

Florida gambling laws are really complicated, and from what we can tell, online poker is far from being finally legalized. However, there are some facilitations, that is, approval from the relevant association should be requested in order to be able to carry out legalization.

According to this US online poker rooms list from Top10PokerSites, certain online services may offer limited gambling services.. What is certain is that none of these online casinos are hosted in Florida, nor are they owned by a Florida resident. But people who live there can play online casinos on offshore sites.

There have been several attempts to legalize online gambling in Florida in the past, but these pieces of legislation have never passed the National Council.

However, we are here to learn more facts related to online gambling in Florida such as:

1. People are taking a chance on US online casinos

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As we have already mentioned, federal law does not prohibit online gambling in the United States. However, Florida residents have not experienced this problem. That is why it is a big challenge for them to find a legitimate casino that offers real winnings and does not charge large additional costs and commissions.

But it does not mean that it is not possible. Too many residents are already using this chance to have fun and earn extra money.

2. In 2024 there was an attempt to implement a law on online gambling

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In 2024, there was an initiative in Florida to implement an online gambling law. However, none of it was successful. The regulations actually referred to betting on sporting events. Until then, people could only bet on horse racing.

In 2024, no law was implemented to regulate online poker either. No institution is interested in legalizing online poker, although there is a strong case for it. However, although online poker is banned, citizens are allowed to play games of chance in offshore casinos.

3. Some forms of gambling are allowed in Florida

From all this, you might get the impression that gambling is completely prohibited in Florida. However, that is not true. In fact, it is online poker and online casinos in general that are banned entirely in Florida despite attempts at legalization.

On the other hand, there are fully functional land-based casinos that operate smoothly and have a regular clientele. Live poker is also allowed in some casinos, as is sports betting. Residents are also allowed to play a variety of games of chance, as long as their winnings do not exceed the limits.

As you can see, it is a complex set of rules and regulations, which causes many headaches for the residents there. However, it is not impossible to find suitable entertainment if you are sure that you are really into gambling.

4. Poker has an interesting history in Florida

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Florida has an incredible history when it comes to gaming laws. Since Europeans first arrived at the land of Florida, casino gambling has been a part of their culture for centuries. Before they were prohibited, gambling was already popular among them.

Laws regulating some forms of gambling were passed in the 1900s. Most of these laws said that gambling should only take place in existing land-based casinos. Native American tribes had a lot to do with keeping gambling limited.

5. Florida has so many famous poker players

Live poker rooms at race tracks and Seminole casinos have historically served as starting points for players like Jason Mercieer, and Michael Mizrichi, and higher stakes live players such as Sean Winter and Sam Sovrel.

Live poker has always been quite a hit in Florida even though it‘s not always easy to locate a live poker room. However, online poker was the preferred option for tens of thousands of Floridians, and it remains so currently.

A quick summary

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We believe that it is really difficult to understand exactly what is going on in Florida and its gambling laws. So, we must be short and clear:

Yes, people have options to play online poker.

Yes, Florida residents have an online sports betting option.

No, Florida does not currently have any plans to legalize all online gambling.

Yes, there is hope that in the near future this may happen.

Yes, gambling is legal in Florida, but not online gambling.

According to the latest developments, people have reason to hope that there will be at least partial legalization. There were options for limiting the maximum winnings and introducing certain taxes on winnings from games of chance. All these events give at least the faintest hope that the legalization of online poker in Florida is possible.

But the actual situation is that this topic is being postponed all the time. That is why many residents are looking for certain alternatives to be able to have fun.

Conclusion

The reasons why Florida has not yet legalized online poker are generally unknown. The assumptions are that they would have to introduce strict tax laws, which would burden the residents. On the other hand, gambling is also believed to be the cause of addiction and losing a lot of money.

In many parts of the world, people find the existence of casinos controversial. Online availability makes them more accessible to minors, who should not be involved in such activities at all.

In our opinion, there is a really strong reason why some countries do not regulate online betting. However, on the other hand, there are responsible players who know how to control their spending. Hopefully, in the future, Florida will find a way to regulate online gambling and allow its residents to have fun the way they want.