ORLANDO, Fla. – The Seminole Tribe is ready to roll the dice on sports betting in Florida, at least in person, even as legal challenges continue in the federal and state court systems.
The Tribe announced that in-person sports betting, as well as craps and roulette, would debut at its Seminole Hard Rock casinos throughout Florida starting in December. The Tribe intends to host the openings with “star-studded celebrations.”
A spokesperson for the Tribe did not have any information on when online sports betting would begin.
[EXCLUSIVE: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s FREE) | PINIT! Share your photos]
The ability for the Tribe to offer sports betting, both in-person and online, craps and roulette was part 2021 compact the Tribe reached with the state of Florida. The 30-year deal gave the Tribe control over sports betting throughout Florida and allowed it to add the craps and roulette, and in return the Tribe would pay the state at least $2.5 billion over the first five years.
The U.S. Department of Interior, which oversees tribal lands, signed off on the plan.
But West Flagler Associates and Bonita-Fort Myers Corp., owners of casinos and poker rooms in South Florida, sued to stop the deal. They said it violated the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.
While a U.S. district court sided with the companies, a federal appeals court sided with the Dept. of the Interior, saying the agency did not violate the IGRA by signing off on the deal.
West Flagler Associates and Bonita-Fort Myers Corp. are now planning to appeal the case to the U.S. Supreme Court. They are also suing in the Florida Supreme Court over whether the compact violates a 2018 constitutional amendment that required voter approval for any expansion of casino gambling in Florida outside of tribal land.
The state and the Tribe have said that since the servers for online sports betting would be kept on tribal land, the compact honors the spirit of the 2018 amendment.
On Oct. 25, the U.S. Supreme Court decided not to issue a stay on the compact while the case was being heard. That gives the Seminole Tribe the ability to move forward, as far as the Tribe is concerned.
The Seminole Tribe says it will launch craps, roulette and in-person sports betting at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino and Seminole Classic Casino in Hollywood, and Seminole Casino Coconut Creek on Dec. 7. The games will be launched at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Tampa on Dec. 8. The Tribe will launch the games at Seminole Casino Immokalee and Seminole Brighton Casino on Dec. 11.
More information about the launch events will be announced on the Seminole Gaming website.
The formal petition from West Flagler Associates and Bonita-Fort Myers Corp. is due before the U.S. Supreme Court by Nov. 20.
Meanwhile, in the Florida Supreme Court, Gov. Ron DeSantis has until Dec. 1 to respond to the state lawsuit.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: