- Seminole Gambling Compact With Florida Approved
- Domestic Sports Betting In Florida Set To Debut In October
- Mobile Sportsbooks Also Set For October Rollout
The US Department of the Interior has approved of the gaming compact between the Seminole Tribe of Florida and the Sunshine State which will usher in legal sports betting in Florida this October.
The compact was not actually approved by the feds – the 45-day review period passed without objection or denial thus allowing it to become official.
“The final approval of this historic gaming compact is a big deal for the State of Florida. This mutually beneficial agreement will grow our economy, expand tourism and recreation and provide billions in new revenue to benefit Floridians.”
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis
Domestic operations at Hard Rock Casinos will allow for legal sportsbooks in Miami, Tampa, and at their other four locations, with the compact also including provisions for the Seminole Tribe to construct three additional gaming venues in the future.
Another big win for Seminole Casinos is a new allowance for craps and roulette, popular cash games that have been excluded by prior agreements and were perhaps what moved the needle on sports betting negotiations in FL.
The gaming compact is expected to deliver north of $2.5 billion to the state of Florida over the next five years if all goes as planned.
What is certain is that billions of dollars will not be taken in by in-person sportsbooks that reside within Florida’s Seminole Hard Rock Casino locations. A majority of that revenue will be generated by mobile sports betting, which is a part of the compact and will be controlled by the Seminole Tribe.
Servers will be located on Seminole lands and will allow for mobile sports betting from anywhere inside of Florida from bettors that have reached the age of 21 or older using iPhones, iPads, and other popular smartphones and tablets.
The agreement requires that the Seminole Tribe extend sportsbook licenses to three racetrack locations, but those racinos will not be allowed to partake in hosting any mobile sports betting.
The compact is already receiving legal resistance, as a group of racinos located in Florida have gathered to challenge the agreement in court. Other legal challenges are expected regarding placing sports betting on Florida ballots.
Amendment 3, which was approved in Florida in 2018, requires voter approval for any gambling expansion. A group by the name of “No Casinos” plans to challenge the compact based on that alleged unconstitutionality presented by Amendment 3.
If the constitutional challenge offered by “No Casinos” proves to have legs in court, Florida sports betting could be placed on hold until a new compact is drafted and approved.
There is also heavy interest from major domestic sportsbooks DraftKings and FanDuel to allow voters to approve of sports betting in stadiums. They have each donated $10 million towards a PAC called Florida Education Champions that is dedicated toward that voter-led purpose.
The domestic sports betting in Florida that would occur off of Seminole lands would be taxed and directed toward the state’s education coffers.
For now, all bets are on for October 15th, but whether mobile or in-person sportsbooks will be ready to take action is uncertain at this time. Regardless of Florida’s mid-October opening status, all systems should be in order in time for betting on the Super Bowl the following February.
