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 and basketball across the country. 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. CURRENTLY Business Development and freelance sports writing RESIDES IN Reno, NV EDUCATION University of Nevada BS and MBA EXPERTISE -Sports writing proficiency in: NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and some motor sports -Topical news -Promotional and marketing ideas/updates -Business development Summary Chris Boline serves in a business development sales capacity as his day job. He has previously held sales/marketing positions with The Applied Companies (TAC), KTVN 2 News and the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He is a Reno native and is a member of various community boards including the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET and the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA). Chris graduated from the University of Nevada in 2015 with a bachelors in management and economics and also earned his MBA from Nevada in 2023. More about Chris: Past president of the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA) 2022-23 Two-time honoree for University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year (Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, 2017 & COBAA, 2021) 2021 NCET award for Professional Services Organization of the Year with TAC Northern Nevada Human Resources Association 2020 Best Places to Work-Northern Nevada, Second Place with TAC 2016-17 Reno Bighorns MVP from the Sacramento Kings The Nevada Sagebrush editor-in-chief 2013-15 Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Four-year Non-daily Newspaper Pacemaker honoree University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Dean's List honoree (5x) from 2011-2015 Nevada Press Association award for Best Sports Column – Community in 2015 Education
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