Florida Welcomes Back ‘Limited’ Online Sports Betting

Tuesday marked the return of online sports betting in Florida, albeit on a limited scale. The Seminole Tribe, holding exclusive sports betting rights in the state, reopened their mobile app to users with pre-existing accounts who had registered before the legal issues in December 2021 led to its suspension.

A spokesperson for the Seminole Tribe, Gary Bitner, conveyed the Tribe’s strategy in an email on Tuesday morning: “The Seminole Tribe is offering limited access to existing Florida customers to test its Hard Rock Bet platform.” This development follows the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision last October to lift the stay on the legal challenges against the Tribe’s sports betting business, clearing the path for this limited relaunch.

Despite the reopening of the app, the future of sports betting in Florida remains ensnared in legal complexities. A new petition before the Florida Supreme Court by parimutuel facilities is contending that the agreement between the state and the Seminole Tribe flouts the mandate set by Florida voters. In 2018, voters had overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment requiring any expansion of gambling to be subjected to voter approval.

Adding to the legal tangles is the debate over the app’s functionality, which allows bets to be placed anywhere in the state, not just on tribal land. This feature has raised questions about the app’s adherence to state gambling regulations.

In a related note, the Seminole Tribe had previously disclosed plans for in-person sports betting at its South Florida casinos starting December 7 and at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa from December 8. This announcement was made following the Supreme Court’s decision but did not address the status of mobile betting at the time.

With the legal landscape still uncertain, the Tribe’s move to test its online platform signifies a careful navigation through Florida’s complex sports betting environment.