Sports Betting In Florida Is Official On Friday, Will It Launch?

• Friday, October 15, is the official date that retail sportsbooks can launch in Florida.
• Only the Seminole Hard Rock Casino locations across the state can go live with sports betting.
• Online sports gaming platforms cannot launch until at least November 15.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The long-awaited sports betting market in Florida could go live Friday as retail sportsbooks are now officially allowed to launch by law aka the new Tribal Gaming Compact.

Due to several lawsuits against the new gaming compact, online sports betting through parimutuel sites will be unable to go live. The earliest sports gamblers can expect these online sportsbooks to launch is in November.

While no official announcement has been made by the Seminole Tribe, they could potentially open at any moment without an official statement.

Florida Sports Betting Here?

Sports betting in Florida will only be accessible through the Seminole Hard Rock Casinos or other Seminole gaming locations statewide. There are venues in Brighton, Coconut Creek, Ft. Lauderdale, Hollywood, Immokalee, and Tampa.

The compact gives sole authority of the sports betting market in Florida to the Seminole Tribe so these will be the only locations to offer sportsbooks.

Florida is home to several major sports teams across the NBA, MLB, NHL, and NFL, ensuring that the industry will see a lot of action right out of the gate.

Florida Lawsuits

The compact signed by Governor Ron DeSantis and Seminole Tribe of Florida Chairman Marcellus Osceola Jr. was a long process that has been challenged the whole way through.

Even after getting federal approval, many groups have taken the compact to federal court which is what prevents mobile betting from going live, alongside possible retail sportsbook delays.

Many in the industry believe that sports gaming will not launch on Friday in Florida because of the many lawsuits against it.

“The focus in the short-term is going to be on the Nov. 5 court hearing, which will at least decide in the short-term,” said Daniel Wallach, a sports betting expert.

These suits challenge the Seminoles Tribe’s ability to offer online sports betting, challenge the Department of Interior for approving the compacts federally, and accuses Gov. DeSantis and the Seminoles of violating Florida law written within the state’s constitution.

The November 5 court date will address these issues, with many local figures believing the Seminoles and Florida will win the cases brought against them. For this reason, a November 15 launch date has been set as a potential date for online sportsbooks to be seen by sports betting Floridians.

Nothing is set in stone yet but sports betting will be an officially recognized and regulated industry in Florida beginning on Friday, whether it is launched or not.

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