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Miami's Gambling Landscape in 2024: A Shift Towards Online Platforms

When people bring up gambling in the United States, there are three cities in particular that everyone wants to visit. For some people, it is Vegas. You hear about it all the time when you’re watching movies or even reading books. The second city is Atlantic City. They sell a lot of “Sin to win” trips to their local resorts, especially for people who live in the United States.  It’s a popular activity to get there over the weekend and have some fun. However, there is also a third upcoming champion that is known for tribal casinos and humid climates. As you have probably guessed, we are talking about Miami and its gambling field. The purpose of this blog article is to discuss Miami’s casino business and the unprecedented shift toward digital gambling.


Image by TravelScape / Freepik


Are Casinos Legal in Miami?


The first thing you need to know about Miami is that gambling is indeed legal here – there are quite a few land-based casinos you can enjoy. However, digital casinos are getting incredibly popular over there as they seem to be taking over a solid portion of the gambling market. That’s why our first task is to talk about this interesting trend and how you can identify the best online casinos in Miami.


A Shift towards Online Platforms


The biggest trend in modern gambling – not just in Miami but all over the US and beyond – is the rising influence of online casinos. Reports clearly show that this industry is now worth a mind-blowing $5 billion across the entire country. Traditionalists find it hard to understand it because they see casinos as social venues that offer much more than just gambling. However, modern players are different as they want their daily dose of gambling to be available at all times.


And that is exactly what online casinos give you: These are high-quality websites that you get to access anytime you want. If you have to wait in line for 15 minutes or just want to sit down and spin some reels for a while, you can do it online – there is no need to organize an entire trip to visit a physical casino. 


But that’s just one of many advantages of digital gaming. Now let’s dig deeper into a few other benefits as well as some ways to become a better online gambler.


Superior Withdrawal and Payment Options


Before you start gambling professionally, we advise you to think about payment options and withdrawals. The first reminder, you will have to pay taxes on whatever amount you pay. So be sure to keep everything in your books and be prepared to document your winnings. Secondly, withdrawals and payment options are crucial since they determine how quickly and how much of your win you will get. 


There are many types of withdrawals. Most of them differ, depending on their speed and fees. We advise you to get more information about withdrawals before you commit to any particular casino since a lot of them compete to gain your loyalty and offer instant withdrawals. We would personally recommend casinos that offer instant withdrawals, or allow you to use third-party wallets. In our experience, those are more secure and have a higher chance of saving your information in case of a cyberattack. 


Additionally, you will also get your money faster and with smaller fees. After all, bank transfers can take up to 10 business days, depending on the location of your bank. Plus, why do transfers usually require at least 3% commission, and not everyone wants to pay that much?


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Game Selection


Another element you should think about is game selection. Everyone has personal preferences and you enjoy some games over others. A good example is an online casino offering thousands of online slot machines, but only for table games. If you enjoy a variety of slot machines and want to try different games almost every day, this is a perfect choice. 


Deposits and Bonus


Finally, if you decide to gamble online in Miami, know exactly what you’re getting. Not all casinos will ask you to put in a minimal deposit. Some offer zero-dollar deposits for first-time users. How much you deposit will mostly depend on your level of commitment. If you see a really good website, you might want to consider investing at least $10-$20 as a start. 


It happens because many websites also offer deposit matches. For instance, if you deposit $20, there is a high likelihood that this particular casino will also give you $20 in return. Apart from standard deposit matches, many venues offer free spins or exclusive access to new games. That is why it is important to research several casinos before choosing the best one. 


Traditional Casinos in Miami: Where to Go & How to Play


Though we primarily focus on new gambling technologies here, we must not forget gambling traditionalists who prefer going to a land-based casino. For example, many players find the Big Easy Casino at Hallandale Beach to be an excellent option. A fun fact about this casino is that it makes nearly $25 million on slot machines alone!


But there are other options. Below, you will find the list of some of the most popular casinos in Miami or within a 30-minute drive: 


  • Calder Casino & Race Course - Miami Gardens (making $61,744,647 on slot machines)

  • Casino Miami Jai-Alai - Miami

  • Dania Jai-Alai - Dania Beach

  • Flagler Dog Track and Magic City Casino - Miami

  • Gulfstream Park Racing and Casino - Hallandale Beach  

  • Hialeah Park Race Track - Hialeah (making $65,158,197 on slot machines)  

Naturally, if you are traveling through the US, gambling is not the only activity you can enjoy. The US nurtures various cultures. Thus, you can do anything from visiting the best Muay Thai gyms somewhere in New York or taking a trip to the Bay area to fall in love with its famous clam chowder. Still, to enjoy gambling tourism, we advise you to stay closer to Hallandale Beach or Aventura. These regions are still technically located in Miami, but they are more popular among casino fans.


Image by chandlervid85 / Freepik


Final Thoughts


Overall, Miami is not necessarily known for online gambling. However, as this sphere slowly develops and more and more states are coming close to legalization, Miami will be one of them. Land-based gambling is already insanely popular and tribal casinos can easily get their license within a couple of weeks. Even though online gambling has not reached the level it had in Las Vegas, we are predicting that very soon this sphere will also be popular in Miami. Therefore, it is the perfect time to visit Florida, especially before the hurricane season starts. Lastly, don’t forget to gamble responsibly and never chase your losses.


By ML Staff. Images courtesy of Freepik


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