Does a server on an Indian reservation really count as tribal gaming if the customer making the bet on that server is another part of the state? That’s the question that the anti-gambling group No Casinos Inc. is asking in an amicus (friends of the court) brief it filed in the ongoing Florida gaming compact case.
At issue is whether or not a deal Florida Governor Ron DeSantis cust with the Seminole tribe to provide online sports betting to residents across the state is a violation of state law or not. No Casinos is supporting the efforts of West Flager, Inc. – a cardroom operator – in the argument that any change to Florida’s gaming compact must be approved by Florida voters.
In its brief, No Casinos lays out a pretty thorough history of gaming legislation in the state of Florida. The document focuses its attention on Amendment 3, a voter-approved initiative that requires Florida voters to approve any changes to the state’s gaming compact by a 60 percent margin. “It is nothing new that gambling, with certain exceptions, is against Florida’s public policy. This is codified in this State’s laws, holding gambling, with certain exceptions, to be a crime in Florida,” the group says in their argument.
While the State of Florida prepares its response in the courtroom, the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. is taking a different, more confident approach; they’re staging a hiring fair for sports betting agents to work their sportsbook. Despite their confidence, this matter is still a long way from its resolution.