Appeals Court Ruled in Favor of Florida in the Sports Betting Case

Peter Lewisby Peter Lewis
Updated: June 12, 2023
Appeals Court Ruled in Favor of Florida in the Sports Betting Case

This is exactly what Florida sports betting proponents have been begging for. For a while now, people have been waiting to see what would happen with the Appeals Court in the Florida sports betting case. A U.S. District Judge shut down legal wagers, with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and The Seminole Tribe hoping things would get overturned. Well, that’s what has happened, as the news came in that the Appeals Court ruled in favor of Florida in the sports betting case.

We can’t even begin to tell you how historic this is for the state. At first, sports betting wagers were allowed in October of 2021 for a short period of time. During that short stint, the betting was through the roof, with people ecstatic to have that new option on the table. Countless bets were made. However, a U.S. District Judge indeed brought everything to a stop. The Appeals Court took its time with its decision, but DeSantis and Co. are thrilled by the news.

“While we are not surprised the lower court’s perplexing ruling was unanimously overturned, this is great news for Florida,” Ron DeSantis’ spokesman John Mahon said in an email about the incredible news for the Governor and The Seminole Tribe. “We will continue working with the Seminole Tribe of Florida to ensure the success of this historic compact — the largest gaming compact in US history.”

This is a major victory for everyone involved. The big losers here are the owners of the Magic City Casino, as they were the ones who had been working tirelessly to prevent this from happening. Looking ahead to the future, it’ll now be on The Seminole Tribe to try and put together a plan to get sports betting back for local citizens to partake in. No set date has been announced, but people can’t wait to see when everything will be back in action.

The Seminole Tribe has plenty of work to do for Florida sports betting

Now that things have been flipped, The Seminole Tribe has plenty of work to do for Florida sports betting. As we mentioned above, no specific date has been set in stone for when everything will get back to how it was in the fall of 2021. However, you better believe that places like the Hard Rock Cafe will be ready to fire up kiosks and online options as well soon. If things can get set up by the football season too, that will be major.

We don’t have to tell you that countless people will be ready to check the NFL betting odds when Week 1 rolls around if The Seminole Tribe can get everything rolling by then. The Miami Dolphins are easily one of the most popular teams not only in the state, but in the country as well, as they hold strong Super Bowl betting odds. People are excited to see what Tua Tagovailoa can do in 2023. Even more people will be thrilled to place wagers on them. That’s why it’s key for The Seminole Tribe to get to work ASAP.

“The Seminole Tribe of Florida is pleased with today’s unanimous decision,” The Seminole Tribe spokesman Gary Bitner said on the Appeals Court’s decision via Politico. “It is a positive outcome for the Seminole Tribe and the people of Florida, and for all of Indian Country. The Tribe is fully reviewing the decision to determine its next steps.”

Those next steps are what people are focused on. It’s obviously going to take some time for the tribes and DeSantis to get the wheels in motion for betting, but the good news is that their efforts won’t be blocked by the courts. The expectation and hope is that things can get finalized by the end of the summer. Not only would that be great for the NFL season, but college football as well.

Florida’s sports betting potential is going to be massive

Now that we can put the court’s ruling in the past, there’s no question that Florida’s sports betting potential is going to be massive. From the moment that it was announced that Florida and DeSantis won their case, people have taken to social media to express how thrilled they are with the epic decision that has finally come in.

There are countless pro and college teams in the state that folks are going to be ready to place wagers on. In the NFL, NBA, MLB, MLS and more, there are going to be great betting options for people out there.  Moving forward, each season will have fantastic betting opportunities for people. The NFL in the fall, the NBA and NHL in the winter, the MLB in the spring and more.

Oh, and don’t forget that with Lionel Messi signing with Inter Miami, people are going to love placing bets on the MLS organization. All in all, the recent breaking news on the decision being flipped has countless sports fans thrilled. Sports betting will reach a new level in Florida. The numbers are sure to be eye-opening in the near future.

Peter Lewis

Peter Lewis Jr. comes from Mississippi where he and his family spend their days discussing college football, baseball and basketball. He's written sports journalism for years after studying journalism at a local university. Over time, Peter has cultivated extensive knowledge covering sports betting legislation across the country. He closely tracks the latest regulatory developments and provides key insights into their impacts. Peter also offers sharp MLB betting analysis, leveraging stats and trends to identify value on matchups.

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