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Supreme Court Delays Florida Sports Betting Relaunch — West Flagler Case Update
Florida sports betting won’t relaunch in October as expected because the US Supreme Court has temporarily granted West Flagler Associates’ request for a stay. West Flagler has been fighting against the Florida gaming compact that gave the Seminole Tribe exclusive rights to sports betting. The DC Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the Tribe, which has […]
West Flagler to Fight Battle on Two Fronts With Immediate Petition to Florida Supreme Court
West Flagler Associates has petitioned the Florida Supreme Court to issue a writ of quo warranto to Governor Ron DeSantis. The casino operator argues that DeSantis overstepped the authority of his office in signing the gaming compact that allowed the Seminole Tribe to offer online sports betting throughout the state. On June 30, 2023, the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia […]
Florida Sports Betting to Resume as DC Circuit Denies West Flagler Rehearing
Online sports betting in Florida could be underway again as early as next week as the DC Circuit Court of Appeals denied the request by West Flagler Associates for a rehearing en banc. In its ruling, the Circuit Court had anticipated the request and included the provision that the Seminole Tribe’s Hard Rock Sportsbook could not resume operations until seven days after the […]
Hard Rock Bet Adds ‘All-New’ Online Casino App in New Jersey
In New Jersey, Hard Rock Bet launched its “all-new casino app” on Aug. 17, a company official tweeted with screen grabs. That rebranded site replaces the 2018-era Hard Rock Online Casino. Matt Primeaux, the executive managing director and president of Hard Rock Digital (HRD), tweeted today about the new app: Quicker-loading, faster navigation, more search […]
West Flagler et al Petition for Rehearing En Banc in Florida Sports Betting Case
West Flagler Associates’ attempt to block Florida sports betting may yet end up before the Supreme Court, but first, it has petitioned for the DC Circuit Court of Appeals to rehear the case en banc. This is a move the circuit court panel anticipated, perhaps even encouraged, in attaching a supplementary order to its ruling on June […]
A Florida Sports Betting Legal ‘Victory’ for Hard Rock, Seminole Tribe
One tweet from gaming attorney Jeff Ifrah on June 30 rekindled hope among Florida sports betting advocates. Smaller picture, a court decision he mentioned could mean one legal option, Hard Rock Sportsbook, may soon be available in the third-most-populous state by the start of the NFL season. Bigger picture, the opinion from the US Court […]
The Calm Before the Storm: New BIA Rules Likely to Face a Challenge
The gaming industry is waiting nervously to see if the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) goes through with proposed changes to the rules governing tribal-state compacts under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA). The public comment period for the rules closed on March 1, 2023. Since then, the BIA has remained silent on its plans […]
Hard Rock, Playtech Announce Partnership as the Gambling Giants Look to Expand
Playtech has acquired a “low single-digit minority equity stake” in Hard Rock Digital (HRD) for $85 million as part of a strategic partnership. HRD is the interactive division of Hard Rock International and Seminole Gaming, which includes Hard Rock Online Casino and Sportsbook. Meanwhile, Playtech is one of the world’s largest gaming technology providers. As […]
Tribal Gaming Compacting Process Could Be Modernized
As the holidays begin, a quiet announcement in the Federal Register will sound louder than trumpets: The Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs (DoI BIA) issued a proposed rule change regarding the tribal gaming compacting process. The Dec. 6 announcement stipulates that the BIA is seeking comments on proposed changes to the Indian […]
Florida: A Case Study In How Regulatory Half-Measures Create Chaos
Florida Politics reported this week that a gaming lobbyist for the Seminole Tribe is pressuring the newly-formed Florida Gaming Control Commission (GCC) to intervene on the subject of so-called gray machines. The GCC had its first full, five-member meeting on Wednesday. Florida Politics quoted Marc Dunbar as having urged the commission to “communicate its existence” […]
