DOI Seeks More Time in Florida Sports Betting Legal Tangle
The Department of Interior (DOI) is playing for extra time in the high-stakes legal game over Florida’s sports betting future.
With the U.S. Supreme Court as the arena, the DOI has requested a month’s extension, pushing its response deadline to May 12, due to its attorneys’ scheduling conflicts.
Legal Limbo Continues
At the heart of the controversy is the 2021 gaming compact between Florida and the Seminole Tribe, green-lighted by DOI Secretary Deb Haaland.
The compact’s unique provision—that bets placed anywhere in Florida could be deemed to occur on tribal lands via a tribal server—has sparked a legal firestorm.
Two Florida parimutuel operators, West Flagler and Associates, and Bonita-Fort Myers Corporation, are challenging the Seminole’s exclusive grip on the state’s sports betting, citing a breach of the constitution.
A High-Stakes Question for the High Court
The parimutuels’ writ of certiorari, a formal plea for the Supreme Court to revisit the DC Circuit’s June 2023 ruling endorsing the compact, underscores the case’s complexity. The Supreme Court’s selective docket means there’s no guarantee it will pick up the gauntlet, but the implications—affecting everything from tribal sovereignty to state gambling laws—make it a case to watch.
The DOI’s extension request hints at a protracted saga, with a resolution potentially delayed until the Supreme Court’s next term in October 2024. This ongoing legal drama, now stretching over three years, underscores the intricate dance between federal authority, state ambition, and tribal rights. As the legal community and stakeholders await the next move, the broader implications for the U.S. gambling landscape loom large, making this more than just a Florida issue.
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