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Even though the Appeals Court is yet to make a decision on Florida sports betting, it seems like the fight could be a lost effort. The longer the court takes to make a decision, the less hope people in the state have that things will be overturned. If you ask betting expert Daniel Wallach, he thinks that things could be a long way away. Matter of fact, this analyst thinks Florida sports betting is still ‘several years away’ and that’s bad news all around.
Wallach has his pulse on all things sports betting in the United States and he’s a trusted source for the latest updates. What’s even more concerning here is that he also thinks that Texas and California, in addition to Florida, could also be in the same boat. These are the three biggest states in the USA, which makes it even more surprising that no legal sports betting has been granted yet.
With Florida, though, things are a bit different compared to Texas and California. Don’t forget that Florida was able to launch online betting for people through the Hard Rock in the fall of 2021. Things were rocking for a few weeks, with people not wasting any time in checking the top-rated sportsbooks, including the reliable Bovada review, to get all of their bets in. However, things were shut down by a U.S. District Judge not long after.
People have been hoping that things would get back going for Florida in 2023, but we’re not expecting that to happen. If anything, it feels like sports fans across the board have shifted their focus to 2024 as being the next best possible date. However, it’s now starting to feel like either 2025 or 2026 could be when sports betting arrives. That’d be the worst-case scenario for folks, as they don’t want that to happen.
5 years into the post-PASPA era.
34 states have legalized sports betting.
Remarkable progress.
But the 3 most populous states — California, Texas and Florida (comprising 25% of the population) — remain at least several years away. https://t.co/OyniWQG0Sx
— Daniel Wallach (@WALLACHLEGAL) May 15, 2023
The Florida pact with The Seminole Tribe could be dead in the water
What’s only going to complicate the betting push here is that the Florida pact with The Seminole Tribe could be dead in the water. A few years back, the two sides reached an agreement on a massive 30-year deal that would have given the tribes the power to operate betting throughout the state. This deal was worth billions of dollars for Florida, which would have been amazing for the local resources.
However, the owners of the Magic City Casino filed their lawsuit stating that the pact was illegal and that the tribes couldn’t have all of the power in how sports betting would work in the state. Multiple lawsuits were thrown out, but unfortunately one went through a U.S. District Judge, leading to all of the plans being dropped. This was backbreaking for Governor Ron DeSantis and the tribes.
With DeSantis winning his re-election, he made it quite clear that he wasn’t ready to give up on the sports betting dreams for the state. However, everything has been in the hands of the Appeals Court. In recent weeks, even months, no new updates have been released. There’s clearly no urgency on their part to try and get things finalized, which is disappointing to see. It’s also quite frustrating.
One thing to remember here too is that everything for Florida is riding on their decision. If the courts rule in favor of the Magic City Casino owners, then that means everything is back to square one for sports betting in Florida. A new sports betting bill will need to be drawn up and voted on. This is a process that could take years, which is why people think 2025 could be the earliest that we see things given the green light.
No NFL betting this fall will be terrible for Florida
Another reason people are upset is that no NFL betting this fall will be terrible for Florida. Not only that, but there’s no question that illegal activity is expected to be through the roof. In Florida alone, two of the best teams are the Miami Dolphins and Jacksonville Jaguars, while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have plenty of young talent as well. The Dolphins in particular saw their NFL betting odds to win the AFC East go up after they traded for Jalen Ramsey.
People can’t wait to see what Tua Tagovailoa will be able to get done this year as well throwing the ball to Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. As for the Jaguars, they could potentially make a deep run in the AFC postseason as well. With Trevor Lawrence running the offense, you never know what this team will be able to get done.
As soon as Week 1 arrives, people are going to be checking the NFL betting odds and getting their wagers in. However, they’ll be placing those bets through illegal bookies or off-shore accounts. This is a growing problem in Florida and nothing will change unless legal sports betting is brought in. Right now, it feels like nothing is going to change in Florida for a while. This is just a loss across the board for all of the sports betting proponents.
Get your popcorn ready. 🍿
Introducing your 2023 Miami Dolphins schedule! https://t.co/afSl4VYbpn
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) May 12, 2023
