The Best Florida Gambling Sites
The US has different regulations for each state when it comes to online casinos – and indeed, to regular bricks and mortar casinos too. So, what’s the deal in Florida? That’s what we are here to check out, so you know whether you can visit and play at a casino in this state.
Online casinos are not yet legal in the Sunshine State, which does put players who reside within its borders in a tricky position. Does this mean you cannot play online casino games if you live in Florida? That is what we are going to find out below, by covering all potential avenues for playing these games.
Exploring offshore casinos
Let’s begin by exploring offshore casinos. What are they? Simply put, an offshore casino is based outside the state – indeed, outside the USA entirely. This means it does not operate according to any state laws in Florida, nor is it bound by any Federal laws that cover the entire country.
There are caveats here though. At the time of writing this article, there was nothing to say that US players in Florida would be breaking any laws if they decided to play at offshore casinos online. That said, since these sites aren’t covered by any Florida legislation, players won’t enjoy the same protection they would if they could join a casino that was licensed to operate under the law.
This means that while you could use an offshore casino, it’s wise to do your research first. Make sure you choose a casino that has been around for a while and has proven itself to be a trustworthy place to play. It’s not enough to pick the first offshore casino you spot and sign up for that.
What about the possibility of visiting land-based casinos?
Yes, this is possible in the Sunshine State. To date, there are seven casinos you can check out, six of them run by the Seminole Tribe. It’s best to check out the location of and services at each casino before you visit, just so you know what to expect in each case.
Typically speaking, you may well find thousands of slots to choose from at the bigger venues. Some venues provide card rooms as well – another reason to check what’s on offer prior to any visit.
Don’t forget to check out social and sweepstakes casinos
We’ve seen that regular online casinos cannot operate in Florida yet. Hopefully, that will change at some point in the future, but for now, that’s the situation. However, there is an online alternative you might like to consider.
Actually, there are two.
The first is a social casino. This is packed with casino-style games you can play without paying for them. It’s purely for entertainment, so you can see what you make of the site and its games. There are no real prizes, so it is ideal if you just want to play and enjoy the different themes and ideas flying around.
The second is a sweepstakes casino. This offers sweepstakes prizes alongside the chance to enjoy some social gameplay, so you can try one or the other or both if you join a sweepstakes casino. The law in Florida does allow sweepstakes, which means some providers have developed a casino-style series of sites that hit the mark on this topic. You cannot purchase any of the Sweepstakes Coins in use for those games, but there are plenty of ways to start collecting them.
How are you going to play in Florida?
You can see that while Florida does not yet permit real online casinos to operate, it may do in the future. And for now, there are other possibilities to think about instead. Even if you want to stay online and not go out and visit a bricks and mortar casino, you’ve got several options to consider whenever you want to play.