Is Legal Sports Betting Coming To Florida?

Florida looks to be working on a sports betting deal that could add millions to state revenue in the sunshine state.

Governor Ron Desantis seems to be orchestrating negotiations between state gaming stakeholders and the Seminole Tribe of Florida. On April 26th, 2019 Florida Governor Desantis met with a large group of gaming stakeholders to discuss the future of gaming in Florida. This meeting followed a discussion between Governor Desantis and Marcus Osceola (Seminole Tribe of Florida).

People who attended the summit told reporters they were thankful of Desantis’ knowledge on the subject and were grateful he called the summit.

The Seminole Tribe of Florida signed a gaming compact with the state of Florida in 2010. The deal was for 20 years and included exclusive gaming rights. Some estimates show that the Seminole Tribe of Florida earns over $2.3 Billion a year in gambling revenue.

The state of Florida has recently submitted a new 31-year deal the Seminole Tribe of Florida. If accepted, the new deal could make dramatic changes to the gaming industry in Florida. The new deal would allow sports betting at Seminoles’ casinos, racetrack, and jai alai frontons.

The Seminole Tribe of Florida currently pays about $350 million a year to the state based on their gaming revenue.  A few years ago the tribe had a conflict with the state when they allowed pari-mutual facilities to offer banked card games. The Seminole Tribe and the state of Florida reached an agreement in 2017.

The summit also addressed other issues such as the horse racing industry in Florida, pari-mutual facilities, and other gaming operations. Horse racing has been a part of Florida’s history for almost 100 years. Florida is also known for dog racing and of course the beaches.

Right now Florida sports betting is still up in the air. While there seems to be some discussion between the state and the Seminole Tribe of Florida an agreement has not been accepted.