For many in Florida, the back-and-forth between the state of Florida and the Seminole Tribe over gaming has been must-see entertainment. However, a new report by Axios says that last month’s ruling by a federal appellate court upholding a gambling agreement between the Tribe and the state could be finalized soon. The article notes this could occur as early as August 21 according to some Florida gambling law experts. Nonetheless, there is still some potential for further legal challenges as one gaming attorney, Daniel Wallach told the news outlet. Wallach said that “there are too many unknowns and unknowables” in the situation.
For this article, SBS will be going over the latest gaming news coming out of Florida and also some more thoughts and information about Sunshine State gaming.
According to the same Axios article, this new update from the appellate court will help bolster the Seminole Tribe’s gaming efforts. After signing a multibillion-dollar state gambling compact in 2021, the Seminole Tribe briefly launched Florida’s first online sportsbook before they were forced to suspend operations after about a month. In a lawsuit brought by Florida casino owners, a federal district court judge ruled that the compact violated the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), a federal law that requires state-sanctioned gambling to take place on tribal land. The compact was designed so that all statewide bets would run through servers located on tribal land.
For regular readers of this space, you are aware of the significant revenue impact commercial sports betting can bring. Legal in more than 30 states and responsible for $7.5 billion in total revenue in 2022 alone, the outlet has exploded since the Supreme Court overturned a federal ban in 2018. In relation to the compact, a spokesperson for the Seminole Tribe made no comment when reached by the news outlet beyond a June 30th statement. This remark was drilled down to the tribe “fully reviewing the decision to determine its next steps.”
Per the report, Bob Jarvis, a law professor at Nova Southeastern University, told one news outlet he expects the Seminole Tribe to relaunch its online sportsbook before the August 26th start of college football season. However, Jarvis also said he expects a state lawsuit to be filed challenging the compact. This could lead a judge to suspend all sports betting until the case is resolved. Moreover, Wallach commented that the case is a strong candidate to be taken up by the U.S. Supreme Court due to conflicting rulings on the topic. He said this ruling has the potential to impact tribal-state relationships in a number of other states as well and contains “nationwide significance.”
After you are all caught up to speed regarding the latest news and information coming from Florida, make sure to tap into all the great resources that SBS has for you. For even more information on the topic at hand, the SBS Florida sports betting guide is a must-read page where you can find the latest Sunshine State gaming stories. On another note, for those looking to get the most out of their bets, our best bonus betting sites rundown is a must-read. On this page, you can find a catalog of the latest welcome bonus offers available for you to utilize and take advantage of. Finally, if you are always on the go, then the SBS best betting apps breakdown is a great page to learn more about the perks of mobile betting sites.
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:
