JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Hard Rock Sportsbook launched Monday across Florida after state lawmakers approved the deal with the Seminole Tribe in May.
The mobile platform is now live in the middle of a legal battle.
A judge will hear two cases in federal court Friday against the U.S. Department of the Interior, which oversees Indian gambling.
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One of the cases is brought on by the owners of Magic City Casino in Miami-Dade County and of Bonita Springs Poker Room in Southwest Florida.
Federal law states that gambling is only permitted on Indian reservations, according to University of Miami School of Law professor Daniel Wallach.
He teaches a class on sports betting law and regulation.
“Internet sports betting falls outside the territorial boundaries of the Indian Gambling Regulatory Act,” he explained. “It only allows gambling activity to take place on Indian lands and is not permitted to regulate activity outside Indian land.”
The servers for sports betting are on the Tribal reservation in Hollywood, Florida.
Another lawsuit, which is filed by “No Casinos in Florida” argues that sports betting violates Amendment 3 of the Florida constitution.
The amendment, which was passed in 2018, states voters have the final say on gambling expansion across the state.
“It gives voters, not politicians in Tallahassee and Washington, the authority; the exclusive right to approve casino gambling in our state,” John Sowinski, the organization’s president told Action News Jax’s Robert Grant.
The Tribe’s highly anticipated rollout of sports betting in the state came with no fanfare, and a spokesperson declined to comment when asked about the launch.
Wallach said the Tribe is running a high risk launching the platform just four days before a judge will hear the cases.
He said the Tribe originally told the judge they wouldn’t launch earlier than Nov. 15. They could’ve started as early as Oct. 15.
“They don’t gain anything except a couple of days of revenue. While risking incurring the wrath of a federal judge. I don’t think the juice is worth the squeeze,” Wallach said.
Part of the deal signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis requires the tribe to enter agreements to market sports betting with five other pari-mutuels.
The terms of the deal call for the Seminoles to pay at least $2.5 billion to the state over the first five years of the 30-year agreement.
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The tribe said Thursday the state received a first payment of $37 million in October.
“Not only will this compact bring a guaranteed $2.5 billion in revenue over the next five years, but it also brings together Florida pari-mutuel businesses from across the state in a creative partnership with the Seminole Tribe providing increased access to safe and transparent sports betting in Florida,” DeSantis said.
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