DraftKings operates in Florida, but only part of its lineup works here. If you’re in the state, you can play salary-cap daily fantasy sports, enter Pick6 contests, and wager on horse racing through the DK Horse app. The DraftKings Sportsbook is blocked statewide because the Seminole Tribe of Florida holds exclusive rights to mobile sports betting under a 2021 compact that the U.S. Supreme Court effectively left in place in June 2024.
Daily Fantasy Sports Works Statewide
Salary-cap daily fantasy contests on DraftKings are open to Florida residents age 18 and up. These are the classic contests: you draft a lineup under a virtual budget, compete against other users, and score based on how your real athletes perform.
Florida has never passed a law explicitly authorizing or banning this format. The state’s general gambling statute makes it a misdemeanor to play “any game at cards, keno, roulette, faro or other game of chance” for money.1Florida Legislature. Florida Code 849.08 – Gambling DFS operators have long argued that building a winning lineup is a game of skill rather than chance, which keeps it outside that prohibition. A separate statute targets wagering on skill contests too, but it has not been enforced against DFS platforms.2My Florida Legal. Gambling / Fantasy Sports League
The practical result: public tournaments, head-to-head matchups, and private leagues all work from anywhere in Florida on a phone, tablet, or computer.
Pick6 Is Available, With a Caveat
DraftKings lists Florida as an available state for Pick6 as of January 2026.3DraftKings. Where Is Pick6 Available? That hasn’t always been the case. In early 2024, the Florida Gaming Control Commission sent cease-and-desist orders to several daily fantasy operators, arguing that “pick’em” style games were closer to sports betting than fantasy sports.
The structural concern: in pick’em games, you predict whether individual athletes will go over or under a statistical projection set by the operator, and the operator pays out the winnings. That looks less like players competing for a shared prize pool and more like betting against the house. The underlying legal ambiguity hasn’t been resolved through legislation, so if you plan to deposit for Pick6, confirm the product is still active in Florida before you do.
The DraftKings Sportsbook Is Blocked
You cannot place sports bets through the DraftKings Sportsbook in Florida. The 2021 Gaming Compact between the state and the Seminole Tribe gives the Tribe “the exclusive right to operate Sports Betting” and to offer it “through the use of a mobile application or other electronic means to patrons who are physically located within the State of Florida.”4Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Gaming Compact Between the Seminole Tribe of Florida and the State of Florida The Legislature ratified the compact through Chapter 2021-268, creating Section 285.710 of the Florida Statutes.5The Florida Legislature. Chapter 2021-268
Pari-mutuel operators challenged the arrangement in federal court. The D.C. Circuit sided with the Tribe and the state, and on June 17, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court denied the petition to hear the case, leaving the compact intact.6Supreme Court of the United States. Docket 23-862 The only legal mobile sportsbook in the state is Hard Rock Bet, operated by the Seminole Tribe. If you open the DraftKings Sportsbook app while physically in Florida, geolocation will detect your position and block betting functions.
Two barriers make it unlikely this changes soon. The Seminole compact is now legally settled, locking in tribal exclusivity for the life of the agreement. And Florida’s Amendment 3, passed by voters in 2018, gives citizens “the exclusive right to decide whether to authorize casino gambling” through ballot initiatives.7Ballotpedia. Florida Amendment 3, Voter Approval of Casino Gambling Initiative Expanding sports betting beyond the tribal framework would take a statewide referendum.
Horse Racing Through DK Horse
Horse racing is a separate category. Florida’s pari-mutuel wagering statutes, codified in Chapter 550, authorize betting on live and simulcast horse races through licensed platforms.8Florida Senate. Florida Code 550 – Pari-mutuel Wagering DraftKings offers DK Horse, which lists Florida as an available state.9Apple. DK Horse Racing and Betting Because pari-mutuel wagering runs under its own regulatory framework, horse racing bets are not affected by the Seminole Tribe’s sports betting exclusivity.
Signing Up and Location Checks
To create a DraftKings account for any of the products available in Florida, you’ll need your full legal name, a physical address, and a valid Social Security number. The SSN prevents duplicate accounts and satisfies federal tax reporting. You must be at least 18 to enter paid daily fantasy contests in Florida.
Every time you try to enter a paid contest or place a wager, DraftKings verifies your physical location. On mobile, the app pulls GPS data through Location Services. On desktop or laptop, you install a geolocation plugin from GeoComply that runs a check through your browser. If the system can’t confirm you’re in an eligible state, it locks you out of paid play.
Don’t try to bypass geolocation with a VPN. DraftKings cross-references IP, GPS, and other device signals, and getting caught can result in a permanent ban with funds frozen during review. Multiple accounts per person are also prohibited, and a second account tied to your identity triggers enforcement under the terms of use.10DraftKings. Can I Create Multiple DraftKings Accounts?
Taxes on Your Winnings
Florida has no state income tax, so you won’t owe the state on DraftKings winnings. Federal rules still apply. The IRS treats fantasy sports and gambling winnings as taxable income, and you report them whether or not you receive a tax form.
DraftKings issues a 1099-MISC to any user with more than $2,000 in net earnings during a calendar year, calculated as cash winnings minus cash entry fees plus cash bonuses.11DraftKings. What Are the Reporting Thresholds for DraftKings Daily Fantasy Sports and Pick6 Winnings? Once you hit $500 in gross winnings in a year, you’ll need to verify your SSN before you can keep playing or withdraw. For payouts of $5,000 or more, federal law requires 24% withholding at the time of payment.12Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Forms W-2G and 5754 (01/2026) Below those thresholds the income is still taxable. You can deduct losses up to the amount of your winnings, but only if you itemize.