Florida Sports Betting Expects 2023 Decisions At Earliest

• The US Court of Appeals has given a timetable on the ongoing legal battle regarding the Florida gaming compact which allowed for sports betting.
• The timetable shows that things will not be settled until at least 2023.
• Florida cannot move to pass any sports betting legislation while the compact remains in legal turmoil.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida sports betting continues to remain in limbo as the court proceedings surrounding the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s gaming compact.

The US Court of Appeals has issued a timetable on the matter, showing that things will not be settled until 2023 at the earliest.

With the compact still in court proceedings, lawmakers cannot move to pass any betting initiatives. Florida sports betting remains in a stagnant state.

Florida Sports Betting Still In Flux

This is the second sports betting appeal surrounding the Florida gaming compact. The DC Circuit Court denied another appeal surrounding this same compact. This appeal was a request, however.

The current ongoing appeal is the West Flagler Associates vs. Haaland decision made by Judge Dabney Friedrich. Her ruling is what ultimately shut down the regulated betting market in Florida.

The goal of the appeal is that a judge in the Us Court of Appeals in Washington DC will disagree with Judge Friedrich’s ruling that the compact does not allow for online betting based on Florida’s constitution and violates the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA).

“It is well-settled that IGRA authorizes sports betting only on Indian lands,” wrote Friedrich in her opinion. “It is equally clear that the Secretary must reject compacts that violate IGRA’s terms.”

With the timetable confirming that the case will not be settled until 2023 at the earliest, Florida bettors will remain without a regulated market.

The delay has also affected agreements between the Florida Seminoles and the Sunshine State. The Seminoles have stopped paying for the exclusive betting rights, an agreement that was part of the now repealed compact.

Florida lawmakers will surely look for this situation to be resolved quickly.

News tags: Florida | Ron DeSantis | Seminole Tribe of Florida | Seminoles | Tallahassee | US Court of Appeals | Washington DC