THE GAMES FAVOR THE CASINOS. You have to know (right off the bat) that you aren’t going to get. The casino might make you wait for a while. Expect to wait awhile if you’ve won a massive jackpot. The casino will need to verify your win, inform managers, collect tax forms, check that you’re not on the state’s restricted list, and handle a bunch of accounting paperwork before you see a dime.

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• Factoid: Twenty-five years ago 2 states had legalized gambling and 48 did not. Now 48 do and only 2 do not (Hawaii and Utah.)
• Factoid: Nevada gambling revenue was $1 billion in 1975 ...$10 billion in 2004 and is projected to be $15 billion in 2009.

'Las Vegas was built for people who are really bad at math....' ...Penn Jillette (Penn & Teller, now at the Rio!)

'There are two times in a man's life when he should not speculate: when he can't afford it and when he can.' ...Samuel Clemens, also known as 'Mark Twain' (1835-1910)

In the last decade, entertainment, shopping and fine dining have replaced gambling as the top attraction for visitors to Las Vegas. Many hotels get more than half of their revenue from non-gambling sources.

Although tourists no longer list gambling as the primary reason for their visit, almost all are willing to risk an average of $500 each trying to hit that elusive jackpot.

Nationwide, casino gambling is a $50 billion business. And 20 percent of that amount comes from just one state ...Nevada. One third of all Nevada general tax revenue comes from state gambling taxes.

The state of Nevada and casinos like to call it “gaming” since ”gambling” has such an negative ring to it. We agree. “Gaming” is a better word for the games of chance legally offered in Las Vegas. Games are played for entertainment. And this is how you should treat the money you risk in Las Vegas in hopes of hitting “The Big One.” Play for fun and the “possibility” that you might win. NEVER take Las Vegas gambling seriously.

Gambling laws in Nevada

Las Vegas gambling was legalized in 1931. The Nevada Gaming Commission and Control Board develops and administers all gaming regulations. Their website can make interesting reading. Casinos with more than 15 slot machines pay an annual tax of $250 on each one. There is also an additional monthly tax of up to 6.75% on gross gaming revenue ...a percentage that is the lowest in the U.S.

Anyone working as a gaming employee must be registered with the state and have a valid gaming work permit. This includes all casino workers except bartenders and cocktail waitresses.

You must be 21 to enter a casino, gamble ...or purchase or consume alcoholic beverages. If you look young carry a state-issued ID with photograph such as a driver’s license. Children are permitted in the casino public walkways but are not allowed to be near slot machines or gaming tables. You are allowed to carry open alcoholic beverage containers on the street, but not in a vehicle.

Taxes on gambling winnings

There are some things you should know if you are lucky enough to win. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requires all casinos in certain instances to withhold federal taxes if you win over a certain amount. The percentage withheld ranges between 25 and 30 percent depending on how you won. Here is how it works.

If you had gambling winnings, the casino is required by the IRS Information Reporting rules to withhold 28% as income tax if you do not provide a documented TIN (Taxpayer Identification Number, that is, your Social Security Number.) We have heard of cases where it is withheld no matter what. The withholding tax is 30% if a foreign gambler. The tax rate is 25 percent if the amount is over $5,000 (except for non-resident aliens.)

When your winnings exceed a specified threshold and/or tax is withheld, the casino will give you an IRS Form W-2G showing the amount you won and the amount of tax withheld. Report (and take credit for the tax you paid) on your IRS Form 1040 tax return at the end of the year. (Only use Form 1040 if you had gambling winnings; you cannot use any other form.)

Generally, gambling winnings are reportable to the IRS if the amount paid is (a) $600 or more and (b) at least 300 times the amount of the wager. This requirement primarily applies to lotteries, sweepstakes and other big winnings from small bets. It does not apply to winnings from bingo, keno, and slot machines.

Casinos report gambling winnings for these games to the IRS when a player wins $1,200 or more from a bingo game or slot machine or if the proceeds are $1,500 or more from a keno game. When you exceed these amounts, the casino may withhold taxes and will provide you with IRS Form W-2G. They keep the original and give you two copies of the form. (If state income tax withholding is required on gambling winnings in your state, additional taxes may be withheld.)

The rules are different for table games (such as blackjack, baccarat, craps, roulette or other spinning wheel games.) Since Nevada casinos do not know the amount you started with, they are not able to determine how much you won (...your taxable gain.) As a result, federal law provides that there is no withholding or even reporting of table game wins to the IRS. It therefore follows that table game winners probably do not report their gambling profits to the IRS.

You not only pay taxes on gambling profits, but you can also claim gambling losses as an itemized deduction as well. But you must keep some kind of documentation (such as a diary or tickets) to substantiate the amount and nature of the losses. In any event, you cannot claim gambling losses that exceed your winnings.

Managing your money

Greed is the downfall of most players. The odds that you will win if you play long enough is statistically wrong ...as is; having doubled your money, you next try to quadruple the winnings (and end up losing it all.) Both concepts have built a lot of nice hotel-casinos in Las Vegas.

My system for managing gambling money is simple. I budget $100 a day which, according to statistics, is about average for Las Vegas visitors. If I am on a five day vacation, I put $100 in each of five dated envelopes ...a total of $500. I ration the money throughout the day and stop when I lose my hundred and do other things. I might stop when I double my allotment. In any event at the end of the day, I either am ahead or behind. If I am ahead, I put whatever portion of the $100 I have left (hopefully it is more than $100) back in the same dated envelope and place it in the room safe that hotels provide. Tomorrow I play with the money in following day’s envelope. The most you can lose is $100 on any given day ...or $500 for your trip. I am happy if I break even ...and you should be too. Once in a while I go home with “their” money. In recent years I have done better. I will tell you how later.

The bad news: There are no casino games or bets where the house does not have a clear advantage. The odds either favor the house ...or they get a commission. And if you are not familiar with basic information about the games you play or bets you make, you are just about a guaranteed loser. In short, casino owners are in business to make a profit. They did not build all those gorgeous hotels by giving away money.

The good news: The reality is that if you are lucky you can win ...and the drinks are free. But statistically the chances are against winning. So the cardinal rule is, over the long haul, whether playing the slots, table games, betting on sports or risking money on anything; you will probably lose. But some bets are better than others.

It is beyond the scope of this website to provide in depth strategy on how to gamble and win in Las Vegas. Many books have been written on the subject and - trust me - none work over the long haul ...or are illegal.

We will, however, cover the most popular games and things you should know as a beginner to have fun and minimize your loss ...and maybe make a few bucks.

Let the games begin

Blackjack (21) is either dealt by hand with one or two decks. Multiple Deck 21 is dealt from a box called “the shoe.” Everyone in Blackjack plays against the dealer. Roulette consists of a spinning wheel marked with numbers 1 through 36 (18 red, 18 black) and American Roulette has a green 0 and 00 ..a total of 38 possibilities. You win if your number, combination of numbers or color comes up. To play Keno, you select a minimum of 4 but no more than 10 numbers on a ticket between 1 and 80. Twenty of the 80 numbered balls are drawn and you win if all your selected numbers are chosen. Craps is a complicated dice game which we do not recommend for first-timers. There are many other table games (and variations) as well. More and more people are playing poker these days and we will also have a little to say about that later.

By far, however, the most prevalent pastime in Las Vegas is playing the slot machines ...and video poker. We will cover the games of chance and sports betting in this chapter ...which you should play, where you should play and the odds of winning.

NEXT PAGE: 10.2 SLOT MACHINES ...AND VIDEO POKER... ⇨

The Sunshine state is a casino haven for many gamblers. Their tribal casinos are dotted across the southern part of the state. They also have pari-mutuel casinos, casino cruises, and agreat state lottery.

As of now, Florida does not allow online casinos or sportsbooks. They were slated to have serious discussions about legalization in 2020. But that now seems postponed to 2021.

Still, Florida has some exciting opportunities for land-based casino lovers.

Online Casinos in Florida

Although Florida has a long tradition with some great landbased casinos, it has not legalized online casinos. There have been discussions about legalizing online casinos in the statecapital, but there seems to be little actual motion toward legalization at this point.

Florida does have a state lottery, which can indicate an openness to other forms of betting.

The nearest state where online casinos are legal West Virginia. The online casinos are now operational there!

But, you can still register with a legal online casino while you're in Florida. That means you can get the casino's bonus offers or deposit, and then play whenever you're in stateswhere it's legal. (Do be aware of the casino bonus's expiry date, though.)

Land-Based Casinos in Florida

Florida has a number of different types of land-based casinos.

There are:

• 6 Native American tribal casinos
• casino boats
• 8 pari-mutuel casinos
• state lottery

Types of Casinos in Florida

There are three types of Florida casinos:

• Native American tribal casinos
• casino boats
• gaming machines at pari-mutuels in two south Florida counties

At the moment there is no serious legislation moving toward widening the land-based betting options in Florida.

Tribal Casinos

There are currently six Florida tribal casinos. The Seminole Tribe has five and the sixth is on the Miccosukee Tribe’s reservation.

The Seminoles signed a compact with the state that allows them to offer traditional Class III gaming machines. As part of their compact, five Seminole casinos are also allowed to offer

• blackjack
• baccarat
• mini-baccarat
• three card poker
• let it ride
• pai gow poker

All of the Indian casinos are open 24 hours (except Big Cypress) and all offer bingo except for both Seminole Hard Rock Casinos and the Seminole Casino Coconut Creek.

The minimum gambling age is 18 at all Indian casinos for bingo or poker and 21 for electronic gaming machines.

Pari-mutuel casinos

There are eight pari-mutuel casinos in Florida.

In early 2005 voters in Broward County (home county of Fort Lauderdale) passed a referendum to allow slot machines at four pari-mutuel facilities within that county and all are now inoperation.

In January 2008 voters in Miami-Dade County also passed a referendum permitting slot machines at four pari-mutuel facilities.

Click HERE to see a list of Florida casino slot machine payback statistics.

South Florida’s pari-mutuel facilities (as well as most pari-mutuels throughout the state), also offer poker.

Admission to all casinos is free and they are allowed to be open a maximum of 18 hours per day during the week and 24 hours on the weekends and some holidays.

If you want to order a drink while playing, be aware that Florida gaming regulations do not allow pari-mutuel casinos to provide free alcoholic beverages.

List of Pari-mutuel casinos

1. Big Easy Casino
2. Calder Casino
3. Casino Miami
4. [email protected] Beach
5. Gulfstream Park
6. Hialeah Park Racing & Casino
7. Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park
8. Magic City Casino

Casino Boats

The casino boats in Florida offer gamblers the opportunity to board ships that cruise offshore where casino gambling is legal. From the west coast, the boats travel nine miles out into the Gulfof Mexico. From the East coast, they travel three miles out into the Atlantic Ocean.

The minimum drinking age on all boats is 21. Due to security restrictions, you must present a photo ID at all casino boats or you will not be allowed to board.

List Of Land-based Casinos In Florida

Miccosukee Resort and Gaming Center

• Address: 500 SW 177th Ave, Miami, FL 33194
• Hours: ·8am–2am
• Phone: 305-222-4600
• Website: www.mrg.miccosukee.com

Miccosukee Resort and Gaming Center has nearly 70,000 square feet of casino game space. This includes nearly 2,000 slots.

In addition to casino games, they also have high-stakes bingo.

Seminole Casino Brighton

• Address: 17735 Reservation Rd, Okeechobee, FL 34974, United States
• Hours: Open 24 hours
• Phone: +1 800-360-9875
• Website: www.seminolebrightoncasino.com

Seminole Casino Brighton is a 27,000 sq. ft. casino. They have a moderate 400+ slot and gaming machines. They have a number of table games and high-stake bingo.

Seminole Casino Immokalee

• Address: 506 S 1st St, Immokalee, FL 34142
• Hours: Open 24 hours
• Phone: 239-658-1313
• Website: www.seminoleimmokaleecasino.com

Seminole Casino Immokalee has 75,000 sq. ft. of casino action. They have over 30 table games, including: blackjack, baccarat, poker, and pai gow, and 3-card poker. This isin addition to a large selection of slots and video poker machines.

Seminole Classic Casino

• Address: 4150 FL-7, Hollywood, FL 33021
• Hours: Open 24 hours
• Phone: +1 954-961-3220
• Website: www.seminoleclassiccasino.com

Seminole Classic Casino features a 73,500-sq. ft. casino floor with over 1,000 slot machines. They also have live-action table games and a very large high-stakes bingo room.

Seminole Hard Rock Coconut Creek

• Address: 5550 NW 40th St, Coconut Creek, FL 33073
• Hours: Open 24 hours
• Phone: 954-977-6700
• Website: www.seminolecoconutcreekcasino.com

The recently renovated Seminole Hard Rock Coconut Creek hosts over 2000 Las Vegas-style slots. They also offer around 70 live table games, including blackjack, baccarat, 3-card poker, ultimateTexas hold ’em, pai gow poker, let it ride, Spanish 21, casino war.

Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood

• Address: 1 Seminole Way, Hollywood, FL 33314
• Hours: Open 24 hours
• Phone: +1 866-502-7529
• Website: www.seminolehardrockhollywood.com

The Hard Rock Hollywood has a new 30,000 sq. ft. casino gaming area. It offers nearly 200 table games, 3,100 slot machines, and a new 45-table Poker Room.

Seminole Hard Rock Tampa

• Address: 5223 Orient Rd, Tampa, FL 33610, United States
• Hours: Open 24 hours
• Phone: +1 866-388-4263
• Website: www.seminolehardrocktampa.com

If you like size, Seminole Hard Rock Tampa is up your alley. It's huge 245,000 sq. ft. casino is the sixth-largest in the world. They have a great selection of slots, andtable games include everything from blackjack to baccarat, Pai Gow, Casino War, and Let It Ride. Their poker room features Texas Hold'em, Omaha Hi-Lo, and Seven-Card Stud amongother games.

Florida Land-Based Casinos Map

You can easily see all casino locations by using our Florida casinos map. To zoom in, just click the + (plus) sign in the lower right corner of the map, or to zoom out, just click the– (minus) sign in the same area.

To move the map of casinos in Florida, click and hold down either of your mouse buttons. Then use the hand icon to drag the map in whichever direction you desire.

Each of the red icons on the map is a casino location. Just click on any red icon to see the name of the casino at that location.

If you want more information on that casino, simply click again on the casino’s name and it will direct you to another page with detailed information on that particular casino, includingaddress, phone number, toll-free phone number, room rates, casino size, dining information, games offered, availability of discounts for seniors, any special features, and a direct link to thatcasino’s website.

History of Gambling in Florida

Gambling - legal and otherwise - has a rather long history in Florida. Below is a timeline of the major events in Florida's history of gambling

• 1932 Legalized parimutuel betting
• 1935 Legalized Jai-Alai and slots
• 1973 Slots made illegal
• 1979 Native American bingo halls legalized
• 2004 Casino gambling legalized
• 2010 State of Florida and the Seminole tribe sign a contract granted Seminole's near-exclusive rights to casino gambling in the state. The agreed payment was $350 million per year.

Gambling Laws in Florida

The minimum gambling age is 18 at all Indian casinos for bingo or poker and 21 for electronic gaming machines.

The minimum gambling age is 18 for pari-mutuel betting or poker and 21 for gaming machines.

The minimum drinking age on all boats is 21. Due to security restrictions, you must present a photo ID at all casino boats or you will not be allowed to board.

Among friends, small-stakes poker is also allowed. There's a maximum bet of $10.

Florida Gambling Laws and Regulatory Organizations

Gambling In Florida Today

There has been much discussion of legalizing both online casinos and online sportsbooks in Florida. Indeed, it was on the list for discussion in legislation in 2020. But that was before thepandemic.

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It is believed that online betting will be prioritized in 2021. The additional tax revenue to the Sunshine State will be a big motivator to seriously consider online casinos andsportsbooks.

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