The U.S. Supreme Court has issued an order putting a stay on a lower court ruling that would have allowed Florida and the Seminole Tribe’s sports betting deal to go ahead.
Chief Justice John Roberts issued an administrative stay on Thursday. This order followed a petition requesting a long-term stay made last week by lawyers representing Florida casino operators. Casino operators are against the deal as it offers exclusivity to the Seminole Tribe.
While the temporary stay does not suggest that the court has decided one way or another, it does mean that sports betting in Florida will not resume for the foreseeable future.
The order gives lawyers for the Department of Interior until Oct. 18th to respond to the request for the longer stay.
In June of this year, a federal appeals court found that a lower court judge had wrongly blocked the deal. The appeals court stated that the dispute over the compact between the state of Florida and the Seminole Tribe should be heard in state court. Following this ruling the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia turned down a request for a rehearing in September.
Sports Betting, Craps and Roulette Part of Seminole Deal
In May of 2021, the state legislature approved a newly agreed compact with the Seminole Tribe that would allow the tribe to offer sports betting and add craps and roulette at its casino properties. The deal would also allow the tribe to build additional casinos on its lands.
Following the deal, the Seminole Tribe began offering sports betting through a mobile app.
However, in late 2021, U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich of the District of Columbia found that the deal was illegal. This was because it allowed customers to place sports wagers anywhere in the state which is a violation of federal laws governing gambling on Native Americans’ lands.
Friedrich also ruled that any sports betting that takes place outside of tribal lands should first be ratified through a citizen initiative.
Following the ruling, the Seminole Tribe closed its mobile sports betting app.
An experienced iGaming commentator and analyst based in New York City - Jenny reports on regulation and gambling industry news and events.