TAMPA, Fla. — After nearly two years in limbo, it appears sports betting will be coming to the Sunshine State after all — and it'll start next month.
The Seminole Tribe of Florida announced Wednesday it's moving forward to expand casino games based on the 2021 gaming compact signed and approved by the tribe and Florida state leaders. The tribe says it can move forward with these expansions, including sports betting, due to the U.S. Supreme Court rejecting to block the compact from taking effect.
The Seminole Tribe says over the next five to six weeks, they plan to add craps, roulette and sports betting to their existing lineup of blackjack, poker and slot machines.
“It was really always on the tribe’s timetable to decide when they want you to open up a new form of gambling on their own land. That was never in doubt,” said Attorney Daniel Wallach, who specializes in sports gaming law.
Wallach says the expansion had faced numerous legal challenges, but last week, a U.S. Supreme Court ruling essentially opened the door to the expansion.
“And once the DC Circuit ruling came out, resuscitating and reviving the compact and all the subsequent challenges failed, at least, for now,” Wallach said. “The Seminole Tribe has the greenlight.”
Wallach also predicts Seminole Hard Rock may try again to launch its online sports betting app even before they premier their new in-person casino games.
He says that part of the compact still faces legal challenges, but even if the online betting portion of the compact was found to be unlawful – the in-person gambling expansion, he says, would be allowed to stay.
The public will be able to start playing craps and roulette and place bets on sporting events starting on Dec. 7 at three Seminole casinos in South Florida. After this, the new games will launch on Dec. 8 at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa.
The remaining Seminole casinos, including one near Naples and the other near Lake Okeechobee. More details are expected to be released in the coming days.
Under the terms of the compact, the Sunshine State will receive $2.5 billion over the course of five years, but the economic impact is far broader than that.
“I love any expansion that’s going to bring economics to the area. I am all for it,” said Ed Felder, who says he’s purchased Airbnb properties near the Hard Rock.
“More people coming here, more people renting my Airbnb’s, more revenue for everyone in the mix. So, here’s to a successful rollout of roulette and everything else that the casino is doing,” Felder said.
A spokesman for Hard Rock says in addition to more revenue for the state, the gaming expansion will also create over 1,000 new jobs.
It’s a milestone, they say, that now puts Florida in the same league as some of the world’s biggest gaming destinations.
“The Seminole Tribe of Florida’s new initiative will create jobs, increase tourism, and provide billions in added revenue for our state,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said in a statement. “I was proud to work with the Tribe on our historic Gaming Compact and I look forward to its full implementation.”