In 2018, the US Supreme Court docket overturned the federal ban on sports activities betting, main to just about 40 states legalizing sports activities betting in some capability. Nonetheless, Florida remained within the minority. This modified in 2021 when Governor Ron Desantis signed a gaming compact with the Seminole Tribe of Florida, giving them sole management over sports activities wagering within the state.
South Florida gaming legal professional and College of Miami adjunct professor Daniel Wallach acknowledged that the 2021 compact gave the Seminole Tribe statewide management over all sports activities wagering, together with on-line sports activities betting. He talked about that they have been conscious a lawsuit would observe. And certainly, a lawsuit was filed by West Flagler Associates, the earlier homeowners of Magic Metropolis On line casino in Miami. They claimed that the compact violated federal regulation, which beforehand restricted compacts to tribal lands, and argued that on-line sports activities betting was exterior of that limitation.
Because of this, the Seminole Tribe needed to stop their on-line sports activities betting operations, regardless of already working for over a month. Nonetheless, a federal court docket decide in Washington DC not too long ago dominated in favor of the Seminole Tribe, except West Flagler Associates appeals on the state degree or to the Supreme Court docket.
Wallach highlighted that the Seminole Tribe stands to generate billions in annual income from on-line sports activities betting, making them the most important winner in the US. He additionally talked about that this case has a better probability of being taken up by the US Supreme Court docket because of conflicting instances in decrease federal courts concerning permitting states to barter on-line gaming contracts with tribes.
The Seminole Tribe of Florida didn’t present particulars on their plans to renew accepting bets however expressed satisfaction with the decide’s determination. CBS Miami reached out to West Flagler Associates for remark however didn’t obtain a response.