The Seminole Tribe’s exclusive authority over online sports betting in Florida has been upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court, as they refused to review the challenge against the agreement on Monday. This decision has come as a disappointment for those who opposed the plan.
The country’s top court rejected the petition submitted by those who opposed the compact. This compact is predicted to generate hundreds of millions of dollars for both the tribe and the state.
West Flagler Associates and the Bonita-Fort Myers Corp., the Florida-based companies operating racetracks and poker clubs, have been hit with yet another setback. The Florida Supreme Court ruled in March that the companies had filed an incorrect case to challenge the 2021 agreement between Governor Ron DeSantis’s administration and the Seminole Tribe of Florida. This latest development adds to the woes of the two companies.
According to Daniel Wallach, a sports betting law expert and lawyer from South Florida who had filed a brief requesting the Supreme Court to take up the case or overturn it entirely, the primary barrier to online sports betting in Florida has been eliminated.
According to the companies, the tribe has been granted a sports betting monopoly in the third most populated state in the country through the compact. Additionally, they assert that the U.S. Department of Interior committed an error by approving the compact, as it violates the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act that permits gambling exclusively on tribal lands.
The plaintiffs inquired whether the online sports betting platform, accessible from any location in Florida, could be considered as situated on tribal land. This query arose as the only physical aspect present on the tribal land were the computers facilitating the betting services.
According to critics, DeSantis and the Legislature exceeded their authority by allowing individuals to place bets on sports outside of tribal lands, as stated in the compact.
When they presented their case in state court, they argued that the agreement is an unlawful method of circumventing a law that was enacted by voters in 2018 to modify the Florida Constitution. The law stipulates that a proposal from citizens is required to permit casinos on non-tribal land. The tribe asserted that the amendment does not alter the fact that the Legislature is solely responsible for determining where online gambling is permitted.
DeSantis’ lawyers and the legislature’s leaders have argued that sports betting differs from casino gambling and therefore does not violate any laws.
According to the Seminole Tribe, Florida has already garnered $357 million from the tribe’s online sports betting business between December 2020 and May 2021. State economic forecasters suggest that gaming revenue for tribes could reach a staggering $4.4 billion by the close of the decade.
According to a statement from the Seminole Tribe, the Compact has made a bright future possible for all Floridians and Seminole Tribe members, thanks to the Supreme Court’s ruling.
According to Wallach, the outcome of Monday’s vote has the potential to prompt other tribes to follow suit and permit online gambling.
According to Wallach, the approval of this decision is beneficial for tribes in other states, as it provides them with a clear plan that has been approved by the courts. In my opinion, the implementation of this decision may pose challenges for other states.
Source: AP News
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