West Flagler and Seminoles Resolve Florida Sports Betting Dispute
After prolonged legal battles, West Flagler and the Seminole Tribe of Florida have reached a settlement, ending their conflict over sports betting rights in the state. West Flagler has agreed to drop all future lawsuits, while the Seminoles will promote jai alai betting on their Hard Rock Bet app.
The 2021 Agreement and the Start of the Dispute
In April 2021, the Seminole Tribe and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a 30-year compact expected to bring the state $500 million in annual revenue through expanded gaming at Hard Rock casinos.
This agreement granted the Seminoles exclusive rights to operate online sports betting across Florida. However, West Flagler Associates, representing racetracks and smaller casinos, quickly challenged the compact, claiming it violated the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA).
West Flagler argued that the compact breached IGRA by permitting off-reservation gambling. The main contention centered around the “hub-and-spoke” model, which allowed online sports bets to be processed on Seminole land through on-reservation servers, even if bettors were located elsewhere in Florida.
Court Decisions
The legal battle spanned years across federal and state courts. Initially, a district court deemed the compact illegal, but in June 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals overturned that decision, reopening the door for Hard Rock to offer sports betting.
West Flagler appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which declined to hear the case in June 2024, leaving the appellate court’s ruling intact. The Florida Supreme Court also dismissed West Flagler’s challenge, upholding the compact.
Settlement Reached
In October 2024, after years of legal disputes, West Flagler and the Seminole Tribe reached a settlement agreement. West Flagler agreed to cease all future legal actions against the Seminole Tribe’s gaming operations. This means West Flagler will not contest the legality of online sports betting or any other forms of gambling operated by the Seminoles, now or in the future.
In return, the Seminole Tribe agreed to collaborate with West Flagler to offer and promote jai alai betting on the Hard Rock Bet platform. Jai alai, a traditional sport with a dedicated following in Florida, will be featured on Hard Rock Bet through services provided by Battle Court Jai Alai, LLC, a West Flagler affiliate. This addition is expected to launch in early 2025.
The agreement is mutually beneficial, allowing the Seminoles to avoid further costly legal battles while providing West Flagler with a new distribution channel for its jai alai betting services. This partnership also sets the stage for future collaborations on Florida’s expanding sports betting market.
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