Is Betonline Legal in Florida?

Written by :

Don Shapiro

Published on :

10 July, 2022

Since 1999, BetOnline has been serving sports bettors in Florida. We were there when they first opened their doors. Since that time BetOnline has become one of the largest online sportsbooks in the world. They are licensed in a number of gaming jurisdictions and, as such, operate legally.

State-Based Mobile Books Not Coming Any Time Soon to Florida

If you got a taste of our beloved Seminoles Hard Rock mobile site late last year, consider yourself lucky. It was up and running for just a few weeks.

Despite a state compact approval to operate a mobile sportsbook, legal efforts by the Magic City Casino parent stopped the Hard Rock site in its tracks. A federal judge determined the Seminoles could not take sports bets from within Florida where they operate the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood and the brand new Guitar Hotel, Florida's Eiffel Tower.

The Seminoles could easily join forces with BetOnline and obtain a license outside the state should they choose. Florida residents would join in a heartbeat as they did with the brief mobile launch late last year. But, like most U.S. based casino companies, the tribe fears regulatory consequences when it comes to obtaining licenses in other jurisdictions. Overzealous Florida lawmakers could even frown upon this due to the Seminoles footprint in the state.

The Seminoles were able to keep outside companies like DraftKings and FanDuel off their turf through a brilliant ad campaign.