Posted on: November 17, 2023, 04:39h.
Final up to date on: November 17, 2023, 04:39h.
The Florida Supreme Courtroom is not going to halt sports activities betting within the state whereas a authorized battle over the Seminole Tribe’s monopoly continues.
In a short order Friday, the court docket denied a request from pari-mutuel operators West Flagler Associates and Bonita-Fort Myers Corp. to droop sports activities betting and expedite a decision to the case. The unanimous order didn’t present reasoning for the court docket’s choice.
West Flagler has requested the court docket to invalidate a tribal gaming compact the Seminole Tribe reached with the state in 2021. The gaming compact, signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and endorsed by the state legislature, allowed the tribe to broaden the video games provided at its casinos within the state and gave it unique entry to cell sports activities betting.
Sports activities betting in Florida has been in limbo for a lot of the previous two years, as West Flagler fought the tribal gaming compact in federal court docket. The U.S. Supreme Courtroom in October let the compact take impact, and the tribe final week launched its Laborious Rock Bets cell sportsbook within the Sunshine State.
Case Continues
Whereas Friday’s order is a discouraging signal for opponents of the sports activities betting association, it isn’t the top of the highway for West Flagler and Bonita-Fort Myers. The underlying case will proceed, with a ruling anticipated someday subsequent 12 months.
Opponents of the compact say it violates the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act and the state’s structure by permitting the tribe to supply entry to gaming off of its reservation. Supporters of the association say it’s authorized so long as the cell sportsbook is hosted on server situated on Seminole land.
West Flagler owns the Bonita Springs Poker Room in southwest Florida. It additionally, till lately, owned the Magic Metropolis On line casino in Miami. The corporate stated in its request for expedited motion in state court docket that the tribe stands to doubtlessly earn tens of millions from exercise that the court docket could finally discover to be unconstitutional.
Expanded Entry Anticipated
Within the meantime, cell sports activities betting is prone to broaden for Floridians. Beginning final week, Laborious Rock Bets allowed choose prospects to start putting bets.
The chance was restricted to those that had opened an account through the few weeks the platform was on-line in 2021 or who belonged to the loyalty program for patrons of Laborious Rock casinos. New prospects can join a wait listing.
Along with sports activities betting, the tribe’s on line casino choices are also increasing to incorporate craps and roulette underneath the phrases of the 2021 compact. These video games are being rolled out on the six tribal casinos within the state starting subsequent month.