Florida Looks to Re-Establish Sports Betting in December
Scott Morris | November 2, 2023
The situation in Florida concerning sports betting has been a murky one. The repeal of PAPSA allowed for states to pursue their own channels to legalized sports betting and reap the certain benefits from taking a cut of the proceeds. Florida has a relatively unique situation as it is one of just a handful of states which permits gambling on tribal lands only. This is why you saw the Seminole Tribe of Florida purchase Hard Rock in 2007. They now have locations in Florida and 68 locations in all around the world.
Two years ago Hard Rock launched a sports betting app which allowed Florida residents to place bets. The app was met with moderate success and was generally reviewed well. It had a few bugs and could be “janky” from time to time according to users. But that is to be expected from any new app.
The State of Florida signed a deal with the Seminole Tribe to allow them exclusive rights to all betting in the state outside of the state lottery. However, a lawsuit challenged this agreement and that case was filed in federal court by two pari-mutuel companies (West Flagler Associates and Bonita-Fort Myers Corp). They are essentially competitors of Hard Rock in Florida.
Recently, the original deal has been upheld by courts and the Hard Rock Casino is expected to roll out sports betting next month. Of course you don’t have to wait that long to place a sports bet online. Offshore options exist and in fact, some of the best rated sportsbooks in the world are located offshore. See that list here.
