- Hard Rock Bet officially brought online sports betting to Florida back in December of 2023 but the lone regulated operator doesn’t offer betting on collegiate player props.
- The gaming compact between the Seminole Tribe and the state of Florida that provided online sports betting specifically prohibits prop bets on college sporting events.
- This rule applies to state-regulated sportsbooks, like Hard Rock Bet, but doesn’t apply to internationally-licensed sportsbooks accepting Florida players.
MIAMI – The Florida Gaming Compact between the Seminole Tribe and the state of Florida brought online sports betting to the Sunshine State. But did you know this compact is the reason why there aren’t any regulated college football props in Florida?
Hard Rock Bet is the only regulated sports betting app in Florida as a part of the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s 30-year gaming compact with the state. Aside from lack of competition and poor odds, the Seminole Tribe’s sports betting monopoly in Florida deprives residents of college football props.
Why Is It That Hard Rock Bet Can’t Offer College Football Props In Florida?
Hard Rock Bet has player props for the NFL, but no college football props in Florida on athletes. This is because of a sports betting clarification in the Florida Gaming Compact that claims sports betting doesn’t include prop bets on college sporting events.
Under Definitions in the Florida Gaming Compact, it defines “sports betting” as “wagering on any past or future professional sport or athletic event, competition or contest, any Olympic or international sports competition event, any collegiate sport or athletic event (but not including proposition bets on such collegiate sport or event), or any motor vehicle race, or any portion of any of the foregoing including but not limited to the individual performance statistics of an athlete or other individual participant in any event or combination of events, or any other “in-play” wagering with respect to any such sporting event, competition, or contest, except “Sports Betting” does not include Fantasy Sports Contests, pari-mutuel wagering, or betting on any form of poker or other card game…”
The latter of the sports betting definition states that Fantasy Sports Contests aren’t sports betting. An important section comes shortly after the sports betting definition, stating that “All such wagering is done exclusively by and through one or more sportsbooks conducted and operated by the Tribe or its approved management contractor.”
What About College Props At PrizePicks, Underdog, and Betr?
That’s why former Florida DFS operators like PrizePicks, Underdog Fantasy, and Betr were sent cease-and-desist letters from the Florida Gaming Control Commission since these sites were “offering or accepting illegal bets or wagers from Florida residents.” Those operators utilized a player vs house DFS system for betting on college football props, while operators who didn’t receive the letters like DraftKings and FanDuel were safe because their contests were player vs player.
While you can’t bet on these props at Hard Rock Bet, internationally-licensed sportsbooks offer college football player props and legally accept Florida players. The Tribe has no control over these sites since they’re licensed overseas, meaning Bovada can legally offer college football prop betting in Florida.
