- Florida sports betting became legal on Friday.
- Online Florida sports betting is set to launch on Nov. 15th, and the court hearing regarding its prevention will be on Nov. 5th.
- There is no set date for tribal casinos to launch their retail sportsbooks.
TALLAHASSEE Fla. – Online Florida sports betting may not be arriving as soon as originally planned but as of Friday, the retail industry could go live at any moment.
Is Online Florida Sports Betting In Danger?
Although in-person Florida sports betting technically became legal on Friday, things may not be so cut and dry for online Florida sports betting.
First of all, there are currently no casinos ready to begin accepting wagers, and secondly, there are lawsuits pending to prevent Florida’s online sports betting market from launching.
“The focus in the short-term is going to be on the Nov. 5 court hearing, which will at least decide in the short-term,” said Daniel Wallach, an attorney and a sports betting expert.
Online Florida sports betting was set to launch on November 15th, but the outcome of this court hearing could affect, or outright prevent that launch. This would be a massive blow for Florida’s online gambling potential.
What About In-Person Sports Betting?
According to Seminole gaming spokesman Gary Bitner, although sports betting was set to become legal on October 15th, the tribal casinos didn’t plan to begin accepting wagers that early.
That doesn’t mean they aren’t gearing up to launch their sportsbooks the right way and soon, at locations statewide.
“Seminole Gaming continues to move forward with hiring and training hundreds of new team members for the authorized launch of sports betting, craps and roulette — games now legal in Florida,” said Bitner.
Should sports betting launch in its entirety as intended, with both online and retail options available, it would be a great addition to online gambling in Florida.