The Confusing Landscape of Gambling Laws in Florida
By Space Coast Daily // June 25, 2021
The gambling laws in Florida could well be changed soon, and whichever side of the fence you sit on with this, you will probably be happy about it. Current laws are very complex, and even those who enjoy gambling and know about the industry are probably a little confused.
Those who do gamble will be hoping that new laws will come in to make gambling in every sense legal in Florida, rather than the small parts that are at the moment. This would also allow the online world to open up, meaning that people could play inside an online casino rather than travelling to play their favourite games.
For those who want to currently play casino games in Brevard County, the options are not too great, although they are clearer to understand than many other forms of gambling.
The Gambling Cruise Ships
This is one of the safest options for those who want to play casino games, and something that has been running in the area since the 1980s. Victory Casino Cruises get around the Florida gambling laws by taking their passengers off the coast and more than three miles away from Florida. These are now back in operation after a break during the pandemic, taking people out of Florida for their gaming needs.
This puts them into international waters, where there are no limits on gambling. Once the boat reaches this part of the water, you are free to enjoy any form of casino gaming that you would like to play.
These ships have been a real success, and continue to be a success too, given that people want hassle free gambling in Brevard County, and this seems to either be the best option or one of the most convenient.
For most, gambling in a casino is a night out, something to enjoy with others and the atmosphere on these boats certainly helps with that. Many groups and couples book together for these events and should gambling become fully legal on the land in Florida, don’t be surprised to see these trips continue, just for the social side of things, rather than because they are needed for gambling.
Gambling in Sporting Environments
The whole state of Florida has a great history with sports, and you can bet on things such as horse racing live at the track if you are looking for a gambling day or evening which involves sports. However, these places are also licensed to offer casino gaming too, so you could go there and combine both types of gambling.
The type of gambling that takes place on horse racing is called Pari-Mutuel gambling. This is where the money wagered is all placed into a pot, the track takes a cut and the rest is paid out to the winners.
The more winners, the lower the prize, if there are only a few winners, the prize goes up. This is allowed, but only on-site, so if you want to bet on horses, you will have to head to the track.
