West Flagler has filed a motion to halt Hard Rock Bet’s offering of online sports betting in Florida. The motion requests the court to expedite the exercise of its all writs in the jurisdiction to immediately suspend online sports betting. West Flagler argues that the suspension should remain in effect until a final ruling on its petition for writ of quo warranto. The State Supreme Court of Florida has rejected this request, allowing Hard Rock Bet to continue offering sports betting in the state.
In its motion, West Flagler criticizes Hard Rock Bet for launching online betting in Florida without prior announcement. West Flagler alleges that the launch only referenced games authorized by the 2021 compact at tribal casinos, and did not mention off-reservation mobile betting. West Flagler believes that the only resolution to the case is to suspend the off-reservation sports betting provisions immediately.
This ruling is the latest development in a case that has been ongoing for nearly two years. Hard Rock Bet initially launched in 2021 after the governor of Florida approved a gaming compact, allowing the tribe to exclusively offer sports betting in the state. However, the compact was halted in December 2021 when it was ruled to violate the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA). West Flagler and Bonita-Fort Myers have questioned whether offering sports betting through tribal-based servers is equivalent to betting on tribal land.
West Flagler has been challenging the legality of the compact through various legal avenues. Despite the US Supreme Court rejecting their motion to stay, West Flagler’s efforts have not prevented the Seminoles from launching sports wagering. It is unlikely that this recent ruling by the Florida State Supreme Court will bring the debate to a close.
