Over in Florida, a battle for the future of sports betting in the state rages on with some interesting updates from the highest court in America. Per a recent article, the U.S. Supreme Court has decided to give some more time in the Florida sports betting case which grants the U.S. Department of Interior a deadline of April 12th to submit a response to the West Flagler case. Of course, as many regular readers of this space are aware, several years ago, lawmakers, including Governor Ron DeSantis inked a gaming compact between Florida and the Seminole Tribe of Florida. This of course enabled the Tribe to gain exclusivity over retail and online sports betting. However, other stakeholders involved in the process thought the compact was unlawful and thus has ignited a legal battle that still continues as noted in the recent report.
In this article, SBS will be going over the latest updates coming from the Sunshine State along with even more news and notes about Florida sports wagering.
Per the article, West Flagler and Associates (WFA) is one of the companies that filed a lawsuit, challenging the legality of the gaming compact between the Seminole Tribe and the state. As many readers of this space well know, in its legal claim, the company alleged the agreement breached the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA). This was because the Tribe gained exclusivity to offer mobile betting across the state and only on tribal lands.
Of course, this legal battle has only intensified in the U.S. Supreme Court, which gave an initial deadline of March 13, 2024, for the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) to submit a response to the case by West Flagler. As noted in the same article, this deadline has reportedly been extended by another month. Moreover, this was confirmed by a recent report, where the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to extend the deadline during which it can receive a response from the DOI regarding the case. Now the new deadline was moved to April 12, 2024, granting the agency more time to address West Flagler’s case.
As noted in the article, ultimately the outcome of WFA’s legal case may change the landscape of the sports betting sector in Florida. Yet, whether or not the Supreme Court in the state will hear the case remains to be determined. This is because the higher court only takes a small percentage of the thousands of case requests it receives every year. Moreover, now the next step is now for the DOI to submit its response within the new deadline. After that, the Supreme Court would have to confirm whether it will take the case. As this is a complex and lengthy process, a few months may pass until that decision comes.
Additionally, early in December, the Seminole Tribe relaunched the Hard Rock Bet, the only legal online sportsbook in Florida. The relaunch, per sources, came after a court decision reaffirmed a lower court’s ruling. Yet, at the time, West Flagler said that it would continue the legal battle through a writ of certiorari.
Per another report, Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar requested the extension on Tuesday, citing the heavy workload faced by attorneys handling the matter. The original deadline for the DOI’s response was slated for March 13th, but the extension of course was granted as noted above. The validity of this compact is being questioned in light of Amendment Three, which was approved by Florida voters in 2018. This amendment stipulates that any expansion of gaming must be approved by the voters. WFA has initiated a separate lawsuit against Governor DeSantis and the legislature on this basis in the state supreme court. As of now, the Florida Supreme Court has yet to decide whether it will hear this case.
As noted above, WFA filed a writ of certiorari last month, triggering the DOI’s forthcoming response. Once the response is submitted, the Supreme Court will begin considering whether to accept the case. However, legal experts familiar with the Supreme Court’s operations suggest that the likelihood of the court accepting the case is low, given its limited capacity to review a fraction of the cases presented to it annually. Of course, this is still all going on amidst the Tribe launching the Hard Rock Bet platform and allowing residents to engage in sports betting activities. The platform saw its inaugural Super Bowl last month and is gearing up for the upcoming March Madness tournament.
After you are all dialed in regarding the latest gaming news and notes coming from the Sunshine State, make sure to check out the wide variety of fantastic resources for you at SBS. Of course, for even more notes on this topic, our Florida sports betting guide has you covered with all the latest gaming notes coming from the Sunshine State. Conversely, for those looking to maximize their wagers, the best bonus betting sites rundown is a must-read page. Here you can find a catalog of the best welcome bonus offers along with tips for getting the most out of promotions. Finally, for those on the go, our best betting apps breakdown is a great resource for mobile betting and always staying on top of the action.
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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