The Seminole Tribe of Florida has officially settled a long-standing legal battle over their mobile sportsbook app.
West Flagler Associates, Bonita-Fort Myers Corp., Southwest Florida Enterprises, Inc., and Isadore Havenick have agreed not to seek further legal action against the Seminole Tribe. In return, the Hard Rock Bet App will start accepting Jai Alai wagering in 2025.
Today, the Hard Rock Bet app is available to all Florida residents and visitors over 21. You can also bet in-person on sports at any of the FL Indian casinos.
In 2021, The Seminole Tribe and the state of Florida revised their compact to include in-person and mobile sports betting. The agreement also allowed for the addition of Craps and Roulette at domestic casino locations.
A lawsuit soon followed, claiming that the new agreement gave the Seminole Tribe a monopoly on legal sports betting in the state. The lawsuit also claimed that mobile sportsbooks violated the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, requiring all bets be placed on tribal land. However, the lawsuit was later dismissed by the state’s Supreme Court.
Hard Rock CEO Jim Allen stated, “This agreement establishes a relationship of collaboration among the Seminole Tribe and West Flagler in the State of Florida. Rather than engaging in years of additional litigation, this agreement will allow the parties to work together to promote Jai Alai, which has played an important role in Florida’s gaming landscape for nearly 100 years.”
What Is Jai Alai?
Jai Alai is a sport that originated in Spain and has become popular worldwide, including in Florida. It is played on a three-walled court called a “frontón” using a curved, hand-held basket called a “cesta.”
Players use the cesta to hurl a small, hard ball, known as a “pelota,” at high speeds against the front wall. The objective of Jai Alai is to score points by making the ball rebound off the front wall so that the opponent cannot catch it before it bounces twice on the floor.
Are Online Casinos Legal In Florida?
There are no domestic online casinos in Florida, but online Florida casinos are available from offshore sources. Since the state’s gambling laws do not forbid online gambling, operators from outside the state can legally accept players from the Sunshine State.
Popular online casino gambling sites have been accepting Florida players since the late 1990s and typically offer more gambling variations and slot titles than their domestic counterparts. Classic casino games like blackjack, roulette, video poker, and live dealer games are available.