The Black Friday of Online Poker. April 15, 2011 – known throughout the online poker community as Black Friday – the US Department of Justice officially seized control of the world’s largest, US-facing online poker sites, including titans PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker.

Florida Online Gambling Bill Proposed Last Year Sputters in Senate Committee

Ah, Florida, the Sunshine State. Long known as a haven for retirees and a playground for the young, affluent jet set, Florida has offered residents and tourists alike the opportunity to enjoy various forms of gambling in addition to its many other entertainment choices, such as its lovely beaches and vibrant nightlife. Gambling lovers in Florida already have horse and greyhound racing venues, jai-alai, eight tribal casinos, and casino boats, as well as a state lottery.

So it’s no wonder that Florida state Rep. Joe Abruzzo proposed a bill in January, 2011, that would allow portals to online poker rooms to be available at horse and dog tracks and jai-alai frontons. The proposal stated that the state of Florida would receive 10 percent of the revenue from the money generated by these poker portals. Abruzzo had said that it doesn’t make sense that while Floridians participate in online poker, the state of Florida wasn’t receiving any of the revenue. “We want to legalize it, regulate it and bring the revenue to Florida,” Abruzzo said. “To me it’s common sense to protect our players.”^[1]

But the proposed legislation never made it that far. The proposal’s companion bill, sponsored by Sen. Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, went belly up in a 2-2 stalemate in the Senate Criminal Justice Committee in April, 2011. For now, that means the possibility of legal online gambling within Florida is dead until at least 2018.

While supporters of the bill may be disappointed that it didn’t pass, some gambling proponents are pleased because they believe any law legalizing online gambling should be done at the federal level. One such group is the Poker Players Alliance (PPA). “We weren’t pleased with how the bill was drafted,” said PPA executive director John Pappas. “We’ve always stated a strong preference for federal legislation.” The PPA is the largest lobbying organization fighting for the rights of U.S. poker players to be allowed to play poker online from the privacy of their own homes. Although still advocating regulations at the federal level, the PPA just wants Americans to be able to play online poker, and will support legalization on a state-by-state basis in the absence of federal legislation.^[2]

In February, 2018, Florida legislators also grappled over a bill that would have allowed three resort casinos to be built in South Florida. But Rep. Erik Fresen, the bill’s sponsor, chose not to let the bill go to a committee vote in the House after realizing the bill did not have the votes to move on. However, much like Rep. Abruzzo’s online gambling proposal, Fresen’s mega-casino bill will likely resurface with a vengeance in the Florida legislature’s 2018 session.^[3]

Horses, Greyhounds, Crime Bosses and Seminoles–Florida’s Diverse History of Gambling

Florida has been home to some form of gambling since before the 1900s. It began when Standard Oil partner Henry Flagler built and opened the Hotel Ponce de Leon in 1888 in St. Augustine. Within months, the gambling visionary also opened the Bacchus Club, not far from his hotel and it quickly became a gambling hotspot. Flagler would go on to build several other hotels. Each time he did so, he would also construct “both a house of chance and, nearby, a house of prayer.”^[4]

By the 1920s, the Cuban numbers game bolita^[5] swept South Florida. Somewhat like bingo, bolita consists of 100 numbered balls, and players would bet on which number would be called. Despite being illegal, bolita had a huge following in the early twentieth century.

A decade later, notorious organized crime bosses Meyer Lansky and Al Capone often spent time in Florida hangouts. Tampa became so overrun with illegal gambling and the accompanying gangland-style murders that many folks had dubbed the city “Little Chicago.” Payoffs to police by crime bosses of speakeasies and casinos were commonplace.

Horse-racing took hold in the Sunshine State in the 1920s with the construction and opening of Hialeah Park^[6]. Park founders James Bright and Glenn Curtis built the park as part of a project that included public buildings and a racetrack. Two years later, the first pari-mutuel greyhound racing facility in the United States opened at Hialeah, and the Miami Kennel Club was founded. Then in 1924, the Miami Jockey Club was formed and fully opened a year later at Hialeah Park. After Hialeah suffered severe damage from a hurricane in 1926, the park changed ownership in 1930, then enjoyed a glorious 30-year stretch that included such standout race horses as Seabiscuit, War Admiral, Citation, Nashua, and Bold Ruler. Hialeah Park changed ownership twice in the 1970s, and the park ran strong for three more decades until 2001, when Hialeah Park halted horse racing because of a change in state law that forbade the park from having exclusive racing dates from two competing racing venues.^[7]

The state of Florida legalized slot machines in 1935 as a way of raising additional revenue in the wake of the Great Depression, but the public’s outrage was intense. So serious, in fact, that the Crime Commission of Greater Miami was formed with the aim of driving syndicate-controlled gambling out of Florida. But in the 1960s, lawmakers realized that although racing and slots were legal in Florida, it was the unregulated forms of gambling that were really paying off, making as much if not more than races. From there, gambling proponents tried in 1975, 1978, 1986 and 1994, to bring casinos to the Sunshine State, but all to no avail. The Florida legislature legalized bingo in 1971 and put a $100 limit on winnings. Once bingo was legalized, the Seminole Tribe of Florida went from a 1,200-seat bingo hall in the 70s to “two decades of lawsuits that would lay the groundwork for legalized Indian gambling in the United States.”

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In 2004, the legalization of slot machines in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties passed by 50.8 percent of the vote, paving the way for gambling in Florida as we know it today. The tribal casinos took this opportunity to successfully fight to have Class III slot machines legalized, and with it they were granted the right to offer other Class III table games in their casinos as well. Today the Seminole Tribe of Florida owns seven of the eight tribal casinos in Florida. The eighth is owned by the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida.

Gambling Future Looking Sunny In Sunshine State

Florida’s colorful history of gambling in many forms makes its recent legislative efforts to legalize online gambling within its borders a no-brainer. However, like a handful of other states considering similar legislation, Florida’s lawmakers won’t make a move to add online gambling regulations during the 2018 legislative session. It is clear that most lawmakers understand the potential revenue the state stands to gain by allowing racing venues and jai-alai frontons to install portals to approved online poker rooms.

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Keep in mind that when Rep. Abruzzo proposed online gambling legislation in early 2011, it was several months prior to the Black Friday indictments of online poker sites PokerStars, Full Tilt and Absolute Poker that changed the online poker industry. His proposed bill was also nearly one year prior to the U.S. Department of Justice ruling that found the 1961 Wire Act as being applicable only to sports betting and not Internet poker and lotteries. So a lot has changed since Abruzzo’s initial online gambling proposal, namely, that online poker and gambling legalization by individual states is no longer hampered by federal law.

When legislators meet in Tallahassee for the start of the 2018 session, they are certain to revisit the bill proposing three mega-casino resorts to be constructed in South Florida. The odds are also good that Abruzzo’s 2011 online gambling bill, or some form of it, will also be considered to bring additional revenue to the state. And in light of the events of the past year or so that has found several states looking at online poker and gambling bills, don’t be surprised if Florida scraps the poker portal idea and comes up with an online poker scheme similar to the one now in the works in Nevada.

Citations

[1]Joe Abruzzo proposes Florida State online gambling bill by the Daytona News Journal
[2]PPA comment on rejection of Florida online gambling bill by the Sun Sentinel
[3]Florida lawmakers remove casino bill – New York Times
[4]The history of gambling in Florida by the Tampa Bay Times
[5]Bolita by Wikipedia.org
[6]Hialeah Park Wiki – Wikipedia.org
[7]The history of Hialeah Park – by HialeahParkracing.com

Florida online poker is growing in popularity, despite the 2011 Black Friday events. Most experienced players understand the DOJ investigation which prompted online poker’s Black Friday was aimed at the poker site operators and not players, and that the events did not jeopardize all online poker opportunities for US and FL players. However, those new to online poker or who never had access to ‘the whole story’ concerning that situation may have unanswered questions or confusion surrounding precisely what is legal when it comes to online poker for Florida residents. The objective of this guide is to provide accurate and up to date information regarding legal Florida online poker. We will address the legal aspects, how to vet a legitimate online poker site, and what options are available to USA and/or FL players so that you have a clear understanding of what the legalities Florida online gambling are, specifically poker relevant to poker.

Is Florida Online Poker Legal?

There are a few different ways to answer this question based on the varied ways that Florida online poker can be defined. At this time, it is not legal to operate an online poker site within Florida state lines. While this rules out state licensed online poker for now, it does not wipe out all online poker gambling options for Floridians. Florida residents interested in online poker through certified offshore gambling sites will be pleased to learn that this type of online poker entertainment is entirely legal. Poker players in FL do have access to secure, legitimately licensed and regulated online poker sites located outside of the Untied States that are perfectly legal to visit at and play poker at. There are currently no state or Federal laws which prohibit FL residents or USA players in general from playing poker at licensed offshore poker sites. This also holds true for players who are looking for legal Florida online casinos or FL sportsbooks.

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Legal Florida Online Poker Sites

Below you will see a refined listing of the top online poker brands in the business. These sites all offer a world class online gambling experience, safe and secure environment, and a high quality gaming performance. They are each legally sanctioned to provide their gaming services to poker players around the world, including those located in Florida. If you would like to learn more about the specific laws surrounding Florida online poker, we invite you to visit our page dedicated to Florida online gambling laws where you’ll find information about the specific FL laws, as well as access to review the statutes for yourself.

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Are There Any State Regulated Online Poker Sites In FL?

For those of you asking whether or not online poker sites which are licensed and regulated by the state of Florida are legal, then the answer to this question is no. It is not legal to operate an online poker site within Florida’s state borders. Those of you wondering about access to online poker games through Internet Cafe’s located in Florida, then once again the answer is no. State law enforcement recently exposed and shut down an illegal online gambling ring operating within multiple FL internet cafes and has since made these cafes illegal to operate as well. This law is being challenged as of this writing, so we are not sure online gambling in this environment will always be illegal. We will update this information as the scenario plays out. You can learn more about the legality of online gaming in Florida by visiting our Florida online gambling laws page where you’ll find valuable information as well as a resource to view the laws for yourself.

How Can I Find Safe, Legal Florida Online Poker Sites?

As mentioned above, it is legal for FL players to play online poker at licensed poker rooms located outside of the U.S.A. The key is selecting a secure, reputable, and trusted online poker site that provides a safe gaming environment as well as high quality online poker options. Our team of online poker professionals, who have extensive experience playing poker online and off-line, has provided a refined listing of those poker rooms which have been carefully taken through our stringent review process and were found to meet our standards in all areas.

Our review process requires a careful evaluation of the many elements that make up any online poker operation, including, but not limited to:

• Their licensing, compliance certifications, and which jurisdiction provides the regulatory oversight for the poker room
• The quality of their security profile as we require any poker brand featured here to employ security protocols that mirror that of world class financial institutions
• Testing their banking suite, including deposits, withdrawals, efficiency and speed of transaction processing, and how comprehensive their payment option menu is
• How consistently and effectively their customer support team can solve issues through aggressive inquiries and challenging requests being presented
• Game performance, software reliability, player tools and features, and tournament schedule
• Assessing player bonus offers, promotions, and incentives, as well as how they are dispensed and what wagering requirements are in place

This is just a small sampling of the elements reviewed in our vetting process. We take our influence in the online gambling community very seriously and are extremely consciences about which brands we recommend to our visitors. We don’t recommend any site that we ourselves are not registered players at. We always put our money where our mouth is. So our reviews come from a dual perspective of registered player and industry professional. This gives us a well rounded approach as well as access to some valuable resources that not all players are privy to. Each brand featured on this site represents hours of research as well as a significant monetary investment as a registered player. First hand is the only legitimate point of view in which to deliver a true assessment of any Florida online poker site.

Gambling winnings from another state. Identical WagersWinnings from 'identical wagers' are added together for purposes of reporting and withholding requirements. The backup withholding rate is identical to the regular withholding rate of 24%. That is, backup withholding of 24% applies if the winnings are at least $600 but not more than $5,000 and are at least 300 times the wager. Two or more wagers are identical wagers if they are placed with the same payer and winning depends on the occurrence (or non-occurrence) of the same event or events. Figure backup withholding on the amount of the winnings reduced, at the option of the payer, by the amount wagered.

What Games Will I Find At FL Online Poker Sites?

The online poker platform offers a noteworthy selection of US online poker games to choose from, often providing more variety than what the brick and mortar poker rooms are able to do. These games are available through standard game play and through tournament options. The games that you will find available on the menu include: Texas Holdem, Omaha, Stud Poker in multiple variations, as well as some of the more exotic games, such as HORSE.

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Can I Play Online Poker From My Mobile Phone or Tablet?

The online poker sites recommended on this page all offer mobile versions of their poker rooms. Some offer a browser based, mobile optimized application that does not require any type of download. These web based apps use responsive technology to support compatibility across a wide range of operating systems, devices and mobil networks. You will be provided with a link to place on your device’s home page for one click access to the poker room. Some brands also offer a downloadable mobile poker app that is designed for specific mobile operating systems. For this type of app, you will be provided with a download option when visiting the site from your smartphone or tablet.

Land Based Poker Rooms In Florida

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Following is a listing of some of the brick and mortar poker rooms and casinos offering poker gaming that are located in the state of Florida for those players who are interested in visiting a land based gaming option. We would like to mention that if you see any type of gambling cafe locations during your travels in Florida, you will want to avoid them like the plague. Not only were they found to be involved in illegal activity in many cases, but they were also recently outlawed by the state. This law is being challenged through a lawsuit, but we still would not consider them a safe option for enjoying gambling entertainment. The types of establishments listed below are legitimately licensed and regulated and above board operations.