Florida Seminole Tribe Eyes Future Online Casino Expansion
The Seminole Tribe of Florida is currently entangled in legal proceedings regarding online sports betting, with aspirations to broaden its digital footprint to include online casino gaming. This ambition hinges on resolving ongoing sports betting legal challenges and potential future negotiations with state authorities.
Navigating Legal and Political Landscapes
Jim Allen, CEO of Hard Rock International and Seminole Gaming, conveyed that any move towards expanding into online casino games would require renewed discussions with the governor’s office and legislative bodies. “And then that becomes a political process that we would navigate through. Certainly, the polling suggests that the citizens of the state of Florida would like to have it, but you have to go through the process,” Allen told PlayUSA.
Florida’s current gaming compact with the Seminoles, effective as of now, does not permit online gaming aside from sports betting.
However, the agreement contains a clause that allows for further discussions within three years from its start. These talks could potentially lead to the introduction of a variety of online gaming options, including popular markets such as online poker. This could establish Florida as a significant participant in the national online gaming industry.
Current Legal Challenges
The Seminoles are deep into a legal battle with entities like Magic City Casino and Bonita Springs Poker Room, which challenge the tribe’s online sports betting operations under a 2018 state amendment that restricts new gambling expansions.
The U.S. Department of the Interior allegedly improperly approved the compact, leading to online betting outside traditional tribal lands. The dispute has now escalated to the federal level, with opponents arguing against it.
Recommended