Florida Court Rejects Request to Suspend Online Betting

The fight over Florida’s online sports betting market isn’t over quite yet, but a recent ruling signals that it could soon change.

The state’s Supreme Court has unanimously rejected a request from West Flagler Associates to suspend the state’s mobile market. The court is currently reviewing the group’s lawsuit, which challenges the legality of Florida’s gaming compact with the Seminole Tribe. 

While it will continue to review the case, it has not found justification to suspend operators as they work towards a ruling.

West Flagler owns Magic City Casino in Miami, as well as poker rooms and the World Jai Alai League. The group has been fighting against online sports betting in Florida since it was legalized in 2021. Its lawsuits delayed the market’s full launch by two years.

According to West Flagler’s legal filings, the group believes the state violated its constitution by granting the Seminole Tribe sole control over mobile sports betting. As a result, they are asking the court to reject the gaming compact that officially legalized the industry. 

The group’s fight in federal court ended when the US Supreme Court declined to hear the case in 2024. However, West Flagler still has one last chance to win as Florida’s Supreme Court reviews the case.

Florida Compact Made National Impact

The five-year fight over Florida’s gaming compact has had a major impact on sports betting in the US. That’s because the compact establishes that the act of placing an online wager occurs at the server location where it's processed. This allowed the state to legalize online betting under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act since the servers would be hosted on tribal lands. 

Legalizing online sports betting through constitutional changes sets a high bar for lawmakers to clear. This has led to years of legislative deadlock in several states, but Florida found an easier path. By expanding gambling under IGRA, the state needed only approval of a bill to enter into a compact with the Seminole Tribe.

Wisconsin recently legalized online sports betting by following Florida’s lead, including establishing where online wagers take place. The state is currently in talks with 11 tribes to form a new gaming compact. 

Ironically, the compact has also hurt gaming tribes looking to crack down on sports prediction markets. Tribes have argued that sports markets violate IGRA since customers can access them while visiting tribal lands. However, the industry has cited a Florida legal precedent to establish that purchasing a contract occurs at the server location.