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This is the last thing that a lot of people wanted to see in terms of Florida sports betting news. Earlier this winter, the amazing update arrived that legal wagers were going to be relaunched. It took about two years, but things finally got back on the right track for Florida after they were originally allowed in October of 2021. However, could legal wagers be on the way out soon? That’s what everyone is wondering, as the Florida sports betting case is headed to the Supreme Court.
Unfortunately, this is something that’s been on the table for a while, as the owners of the Magic City Casino have been adamant that Governor Ron DeSantis and The Seminole Tribe agreed to an illegal 30-year pact to bring sports betting to the state. After a U.S. District Judge ordered betting to shut down, the appeals court allowed things to come back. However, the Supreme Court could totally flip things here, which countless people don’t want to see.
“This question is exceptionally important not just for the people of Florida, but for the nationwide precedent it will set for other state-tribal compacts if the Court of Appeals’ affirmative answer is left undisturbed — as an end-run not just around state-law prohibitions on gaming off tribal lands, but also around Congress’ limitation of IGRA’s federal imprimatur to gambling on tribal lands,” attorney Hamish Hume said in a statement.
While there’s no set date for when the Supreme Court will look at this case and then make a decision, folks are nervous that they could side with the Magic City Casino owners. However, DeSantis and The Seminole Tribe have been confident from the start that they didn’t break any laws with their deal. Only time will tell which direction the Supreme Court decides to go in, but the fact that things have reached this state sure is a bit concerning.
West Flagler's #SCOTUS challenge to the Florida sports betting compact was formally docketed today by the U.S. Supreme Court–even though it was filed last Thursday. Responses to the petition for writ of certiorari are due on March 13th — 30 days from today. pic.twitter.com/TEtqkJSm09
— Daniel Wallach (@WALLACHLEGAL) February 12, 2024
Legal sports betting in Florida has been on fire since the re-launch
While things are a bit uncertain for the future, there’s no question that legal sports betting in Florida has been on fire since the re-launch. This isn’t a surprise at all, as things were able to get back on the table in time for the NFL postseason. While teams in Florida didn’t perform at a high level in the playoffs, that doesn’t mean that NFL betting wasn’t strong. Matter of fact, it led the way in January and the early part of February.
The Miami Dolphins had the best NFL betting odds of all the teams in the state, but they unfortunately ran into the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Wild Card Round. With the temperatures way below freezing, the home-field advantage was simply too much for the Chiefs, as the Dolphins weren’t able to keep pace with Patrick Mahomes and Co. The Chiefs ended Miami’s season and they kept on going quite strong the rest of the way.
It's more than just a game 🥹🫶 pic.twitter.com/qZXL2oTzOy
— NFL (@NFL) February 21, 2024
Then for Super Bowl betting, as much as Florida fans didn’t want to see the Chiefs come out on top, the money put down was head-turning. The 49ers and Chiefs ended up going to overtime, but Kansas City posted a win. The official Super Bowl numbers haven’t been posted for Florida yet, but a quick look at social media shows that a lot of people in the state were all-in on the Chiefs posting a win – thankfully they did.
Now, people are already looking forward to next season, but the uncertainty has people wondering if legal NFL bets will be able to be placed from start to finish next campaign. The Jaguars, Bucs and Dolphins are all hoping to impress the Florida fanbase, but if the Supreme Court rules in favor of the Magic City Casino owners, then things could prove to be in limbo for a long time. It will be interesting to see which decision will be made, but we’re even nervous about how things will go down.
When will the Supreme Court make its decision in Florida?
A question everyone now has on their minds is when will the Supreme Court make its decision in Florida? Unfortunately, that’s totally up in the air and there’s no answer. One thing to remember here is that even if the Supreme Court rules things one way, the door will be open for an appeal to be filed. Because of that, this isn’t something that’s going to be decided quickly. The court is surely going to want to take its time here and not rush a decision.
Because of that, people in Florida are hopeful that MLB betting won’t be interrupted. Teams are already at Spring Training getting ready for Opening Day to get here. Once late March arrives, MLB betting will take over as the most popular sport in terms of wagers. The Rays are hoping to win the AL East and their supporters are already placing futures bets on that happening. For now, people can keep betting on that, but let’s keep our fingers crossed the laws don’t change down the road.
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