Sports betting was legal for just one month in 2021 in Florida but it was halted and kept in limbo for almost two years after a federal judge ruled that the deal violated federal gambling laws, striking down the
compact between the state and the Seminole Tribe. In July 2023 a Florida
federal appeals court ruled that the Department of
Interior had to stick
to its agreement that gave the Seminoles and its Hard Rock casinos the exclusive rights for sports
betting in the state.
Super Bowl via the Hard Rock Bet app for the first time this year. Via a compact between the state and Te Seminole Tribe the tribe was given exclusive retail and online sports betting rights in the state for 30 years during which time the Seminoles agreed to pay Florida about $20bn, including $2.5bn over the first five years of the agreement.
Sports betting was legal for just one month in 2021 in Florida but it was halted and kept in limbo for almost two years after a federal judge ruled that the deal violated federal gambling laws, striking down the compact between the state and the Seminole Tribe. In July 2023 a Florida federal appeals court ruled that the Department of Interior had to stick to its agreement that gave the Seminoles
P42 WIRE / PULSE / INSIGHT / REPORTS
and its Hard Rock casinos the exclusive rights for sports betting in the state. Online sports betting resumed in November 2023. Land based betting began in December.
But the legal battle over sports betting in the state is far from over. In February lawyers for West Flagler Associates and Bonita-Fort Myers Corp filed a writ petition with Te Supreme Court challenging the sports betting compact between the Seminoles and the state of Florida. West Flagler holds three jai alai licenses and Bonita-Fort Myers Corp does business as Bonita Springs Poker Room. Tey argue that the compact violates the state constitution and the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act because it authorises gambling off tribal lands.
Te sports betting part in the compact was used “as a backdoor around state constitutional prohibitions against online sports gambling conducted off tribal lands” and created “a sports gambling monopoly” for the tribe, the petition said.
Impetus is growing for legalised sports betting in the state of Georgia after a number of initiatives have failed over successive years. In Georgia casinos and horse racing are illegal and slots and table gaming is only permitted on two boats. With legislators divided on many aspects of the topic proposals have varied greatly. Last year, one proposal put forward by Senator Billy Hickman would have encompassed lottery run sports betting and would have legalised
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