A bill signed that would make online sports wagering in the state legal this month may have to wait get going.
In May, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the Florida-Seminole Tribe gaming compact signed, which would have made mobile online sports wagering officially legal in the Sunshine State on Oct. 15.
However, two Florida pari-mutuels filed a motion in federal court to prevent the sports wagering factor of the 30-year gaming deal from being legal.
Odds of an Oct. 15 rollout now seem slim since the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. has scheduled a Nov. 5 hearing on the 45-page motion and the Seminole Tribe has admitted in court documents that its digital platform will not be ready until Nov. 15.
Gary Bitner, who handles public relations for the Seminole Tribe of Florida, told the Florida Record that the bill signed in May provided an amendment with clear wording regarding the gaming compact.
“Here is that exact language: ‘The Tribe agrees that it will not commence sports betting prior to Oct. 15,’" he said.
Bitner added that the bill doesn’t explicitly say that sports betting will begin on Oct. 15.
“The Seminole Tribe has always said sports betting would begin in the fall, but has not announced an exact start date,” he said. “Reporting on this subject has been accurate and consistent, with no mention of a delay because there is no delay.”