Chris Boline
While everyone waits for there to be some sort of a positive update when it comes to legal sports betting for Florida fans, don’t forget for a second that there’s still another form of betting that is allowed: commercial gaming. Though sportsbooks are not in place, there are multiple casinos operating in Florida. Florida Gaming sets record with sports betting still in limbo and has people talking too.
Take a look at the opening quarter for 2022 to be your further proof. According to a report, the numbers in Florida for commercial gaming were through the roof for that first quarter of the year, as Florida recorded a total of $182 million. That’s downright unheard of and shows just how big the market is for bettors. If anything, this puts pressure to get sports betting done here soon as well.
“Consumers continue to seek out gaming’s entertainment options in record numbers,” American Gaming Association President and CEO Bill Miller said via The Capitalist. “Q1’s strong results build on the industry’s record year in 2021 despite continued headwinds from supply chain constraints, labor shortages, and the impact of soaring inflation.”
For Florida particularly, this update sure is welcome news. The fact of the matter is that sports betting is still in limbo, and governor Ron DeSantis no question loves seeing that the state is able to have success with this form of regulated betting. Now, it’s going to make him even more anxious to try and get things over the line with the legalization of sports betting too. When will that come?
Commercial gaming’s strong Q1 boosted by Florida’s $182 million quarterly record https://t.co/u6oRpVZfEU
— The Capitolist (@TheCapitolist) May 11, 2022
Florida sports bettors are hoping for good news this fall
It goes without saying, but Florida sports bettors hoping for good news this fall is something everyone knows about. When the Hard Rock fired up its silent launch of an online sportsbook in the fall, things blew up with people loving it. Countless bets were made, and you could see just how popular things were for everyone involved. Then, a U.S. District Judge ordered things to be shut down.
Florida sports betting as a whole has been down ever since and there’s no date for when things will be flipped. DeSantis and the Seminole Tribe had their epic pact, which was set for 30 years, locked in, but now that appears like it’s dead in the water. Despite that, that doesn’t mean that another initiative can’t come this fall for people to vote on. This is the hope of moving forward.
With that, though, there are also going to be some moving pieces. Things would need to get on the needed ballots here sooner than later, otherwise, people are going to be left wondering what’s going on. This is something that no one wants to see happen. The people of Florida have been through enough when it comes to the legalizing of sports betting.
Again, when things were passed, and they went through the Hard Rock for a little while, you could see just how happy people were. They were checking the best-rated sportsbooks for odds and making bets with a smile on their face. Now, Floridians are hopeful that the same feeling can come back in the near future. There’s no reason for Florida still to be missing out on this, with 30+ states having it.
California November voting could be big for Florida
Remember one thing here too, folks: California November voting could be big for Florida. It has been confirmed that at least two initiatives will be present on the November ballot of people in California to bet on. This only increases the odds of sports betting becoming legal in the state. Similar to Florida, people all over California want sports betting to go through. This is something that’s been the case for a while.
So, imagine if California legalizes sports betting and sees a tremendous amount of success. This is only going to add pressure on Florida to follow suit. The same can be said for Texas, as that’s another massive state where sports betting still hasn’t been given the green light. For Florida specifically, people always compare them to California in terms of the success their sports teams have had.
In both states, people are currently checking out the NBA Finals betting sites with a fury, as the final series of the year is right around the corner. The Golden State Warriors are still rocking in California, while the Miami Heat are hoping to make it to the Finals to represent Florida. People in both states wish they could bet on those teams, but they can’t. This only adds to the frustration for people.
If they do bet on them, they’re either doing so illegally or in different states where things are legal. How in the world does that make sense for two of the biggest states in the USA. Only time will tell if there’s a change this fall in Florida, but if California does push ahead with its movement, then it should only be a matter of time before The Sunshine State joins them. Keep an eye on this for sure.
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) May 11, 2022
