With the fall sports calendar in full swing, the state of legalized gaming in Florida is still in limbo per sources. According to News 6 in Orlando, the state of legalized gaming in the Sunshine State remains uncertain as the deal between Governor Ron DeSantis and the Seminole Tribe remains contested in court. According to the article from News 6, a gaming attorney and sports betting expert, Daniel Wallach, broke down the numerous legal challenges facing the deal and what it must do to get passed from here. Per the article, the primary source says that the compact “violated federal law” and would be problematic for numerous reasons.
In this article, SBS will go over the latest news coming out of the Sunshine State plus some other helpful thoughts and notes regarding gaming in Florida.
Per Wallach, it appears that the compact not only violated federal law but also presented other issues. For instance, as reported in the News 6 article, the attorney pointed out that the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) is meant to govern the conduct of gaming on Indian lands and nowhere else. Moreover, the 30-year compact, which was announced by Governor DeSantis the last year, essentially gave the tribes control over Florida’s imminent gambling domain. However, Wallach pointed out that the deal exceeded the boundaries of what is allowed under IGRA by including online sports gambling.
As regular readers of this space are aware, the “hub-and-spoke” sports betting plan was designed to allow gamblers to place a bet online with the bets going through computer servers located on tribal land. Wallach said online sports betting was basically “shoehorned” here through a federally regulated and federally authorized compact. However, it appeared to Wallach that the state was taking on a possible violation of state law and “transforming it to an almost definite violation of federal law.”
Per the report, the state law that Wallach is referring to is Amendment 3, which was approved by Florida voters in 2018. The ballot initiative also makes it impossible for future legislatures to legalize Florida sports betting without working with the Seminole Tribe per sources. With the future of gaming up in the air and the case working its way through the Federal Court of Appeal, Wallach believes it will be a few years before there’s any resolution in the court system. Moreover, he also believes that the clearest path to sports betting in Florida is through the ballot initiative process per the report.
Once you are all done getting up to speed on the latest gaming news in Florida, make sure to check out the litany of great resources available to you that SBS has put together. Of course, the next place to look into is our Florida sports betting guide which outlines all the latest gambling markets related to the Sunshine State. Moreover, this page also included the latest bonuses, odds, and promotions so that you can stay on top of the action. Speaking of bonuses, the SBS best bonus betting sites overview has a ton of great information related to getting the most out of your wagers and maximizing your bets. Finally, if you are a gambler that is always on the go, SBS has your back with our mobile betting sites rundown which goes all the ways and why to bet using your mobile device.
About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football in the Mountain West Conference, and basketball. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones.
Read Chris's ProfileAsk Chris about this guide:
