US Supreme Court Gives More Time for Florida Betting Case

Several years ago, lawmakers, including Gov. Ron DeSantis inked a gaming compact between Florida and the Seminole Tribe of Florida. This enabled the Tribe to gain exclusivity over retail and online sports betting. However, other stakeholders involved in the process and impacted by that decision disagreed, claiming that the compact was unlawful. This intention ignited a legal battle that still continues.

West Flagler and Associates (WFA) is one of the companies that filed a lawsuit, challenging the legality of the gaming compact between the Seminole Tribe and the state. In its legal claim, the company alleged the agreement breached the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA). This was because the Tribe gained exclusivity to offer mobile betting across the state and not only on tribal lands.

The legal battle intensified in the US Supreme Court, which gave an initial deadline of March 13, 2024, for the US Department of Interior (DOI) to submit a response to the case by West Flagler. Now, this deadline has reportedly been extended by another month.

As confirmed by a recent report from Sports Handle, the US Supreme Court agreed to extend the deadline during which it can receive a response from the DOI regarding the case. The new deadline was moved to April 12, 2024, granting the agency more time to address West Flagler’s case.

The Lengthy Legal Battle Continues

Ultimately, the outcome of WFA’s legal case may change the landscape of the sports betting sector in Florida. Yet, whether or not the Supreme Court in the state will hear the case remains to be determined. This is because the higher court only takes a small percentage of the thousands of case requests it receives every year.

The next step is now for the DOI to submit its response within the new deadline. After that, the Supreme Court would have to confirm whether it will take the case. As this is a complex and lengthy process, a few months may pass until that decision comes.

Early in December, the Seminole Tribe relaunched Hard Rock Bet, the only legal online sportsbook in Florida. The relaunch came after a court decision reaffirmed a lower court’s ruling. Yet, at the time, West Flagler said that it would continue the legal battle through a writ of certiorari.