Last updated on July 13th, 2021 at 01:57 am
Florida sports betting stakeholders are increasing their lobbying efforts. Once legalized, the state can become the biggest online and retail sports betting market in the US.
In April, Governor Ron DeSantis and the Seminole Tribe announced a new compact that would give the latter expanded gaming options. It included rights to open physical sportsbooks in their casinos. Also, the tribe can offer mobile sports betting in the state.
Although most stakeholders agree to open sportsbooks inside tribal lands, offering mobile sports betting is still in legal limbo. Thus, tribes can start learning how to become a bookie. First, however, they need to overcome legal obstacles to open online sportsbooks.
Florida Sports Betting
Federal law prevented Native American tribes from accepting wagers online outside tribal lands. As a result, although tribes have gambling compacts with states, there has been no legal way to do so via online wagering.
Governor DeSantis and some lawmakers argued that an arbitrator’s ruling in Oklahoma cleared gambling expansion outside tribal lands. Also, supporters of online sports betting outside tribal lands said they should learn how to be a bookie like the ones in New Jersey. The state allows online wagering if the servers are within Atlantic City.
According to Sports Betting Software Solution sources, federal tribal gaming laws supersede state laws. Also, court rulings in Michigan and California stated that gambling expansions outside tribal lands are not allowed.
Tribal online sports betting in Florida will now depend on the ruling from the federal Department of Interior. Also, they can strike down certain parts of a tribal compact. So although retail sportsbooks are safe, the mobile betting option might not pass federal scrutiny.
The Department of Interior will come up with its decision by the end of July. Ruling against the tribe would stop mobile betting in Florida. But, on the other hand, approval would open a new online sports betting opportunity for tribes across the US.
