Sports betting is finally making its long awaited return to the state of Florida as the Seminole Tribe made it official this week. In-person sports betting will be available again on December 7th, but that wasn’t exactly the news that many were hoping for.
The Seminole Tribe actually made this announcement along with also adding roulette and craps at their in-person casinos. The Seminole Tribe has a monopoly over gambling in the state, and that would include sports betting.
This is going to require sports bettors to do some traveling before making bets, and that could come with some issues. Online sports betting is easily more popular than retail betting, but at least bettors in the state will have an option yet again.
The Seminole Tribe has been quiet over the last few weeks, even though there has been plenty of news surrounding sports betting. Court cases have dominated headlines for months, but sports betting was made legal again last week.
In this announcement, the tribe thanked both the state and the court system for making this possible yet again. The Seminole Tribe initially launched sports betting back in 2021, but mobile betting was included at that time.
No Mobile Update
While many in the industry were hoping to hear an update about the Hard Rock Bet app, that wasn’t really mentioned in this announcement. That could have been intentional though as the Seminole Tribe was highlighting new in-person betting options.
That doesn’t mean that the mobile app won’t be coming back soon though, and it could actually happen before the relaunch of retail wagering. The Seminole Tribe did not have a big announcement the first time the mobile app was launched, and it could follow a similar path this time around.
The Hard Rock Bet app has been upgraded in 2023, and sports bettors in Florida are anxious to get the opportunity to use it. Leaders of the tribe don’t want to relaunch the mobile app before it’s clear that there is no chance that it will have to be shut down again.
Still Stuck in Court
The federal court system has clearly sided with the Seminole Tribe in this court case, but that doesn’t mean it’s over for good. There is also a case going on in the state of Florida, and it’s not even close to being over.
Governor Ron DeSantis is stuck in the middle of it as well, and he was the man that negotiated a new gaming compact in order to get sports betting legalized. West Flagler & Associates continue to challenge the legality of that compact, but the Seminole Tribe is tired of waiting around.
This could have a major impact on the U.S. sports betting industry as Florida will now be the most populous state with this industry. It’s not going to have major results until mobile sports betting returns, but retail betting is going to be launching during a busy weekend.
