Pres. Biden Stands With Gov. DeSantis

The United States President Joe Biden is standing with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in the sports betting deal between the Seminole Tribe of Florida and the State. The agreement was overturned by a federal judge in December 2021, but recently, the administration urged an appeals court to reinstate it.

Florida Sports Betting

While there are a growing number of states that legalized sports betting, Florida is still one of those which are having a hard time finally regulating it. As a background, Gov. DeSantis signed the compact with the Seminole Tribe last May 2021 about Florida mobile wagering.

It launched the Hard Rock sportsbook app but has been pulled out after a month of operations due to a series of complaints including those from owners of Magic City Casino in Miami-Dade County and Bonita Springs Poker Room. The plaintiffs argued that the deal violated the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act and must be pact must be voided.

Seminole Tribe and the Department of the Interior, together with the support of Gov. DeSantis, are now in the process of appealing the court decision. However, the process is moving slowly which makes it less likely to be settled anytime soon.

Pres. Biden Supports Florida’s New Sports Betting Deal

While Gov. DeSantis may be the Pres. Biden’s biggest political rival as we head closer to the 2024 election. The US President came up to actually support the sports betting pact. His Administration is appealing to reinstate Florida’s new sports betting deal.

While having vocal support from the President could boost morale, the President still has no authority to legalize Florida Sports betting when he wants to. This is a battle in Florida where the Tribe and the Department of the Interior must prove that the pact is reasonable and apply changes as necessary.

What to Expect on Florida Sports Betting

The opening briefs are expected to be filed and the parties are waiting for the next stages of the case. However, it will take several months to settle the said case. So 2024 will be the earliest year that this case alone will be done.

Moreover, Sports betting law expert, Atty. Daniel Wallach said, “It may be until 2024 before we have any resolution in the court system, on this issue of whether a tribal gaming compact can encompass and include online sports betting.”

Wallach also believes that a tribal gaming compact is the right way to legalize sports betting in Florida, which makes the legalization even longer. If the appeals do not result in a favorable outcome, they will restart again to the voters’ approval. This means that 2025 will be the earliest possible launch of sports betting in Florida.