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Just when you thought there was good news for Florida sports betting, things have once again been halted in the state. In case you missed it, the U.S. Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the state, which meant the legal wagers were going to be on the way for people in Florida. With this, lawmakers were working overtime to get the wheels in motion to get things launched in the coming weeks. However, the Florida sports betting relaunch pushed back due to a court order. Goodness.
The breaking news just dropped this week, as a rehearing may be on the way. This is the last thing that people wanted to see, as they were getting ready for history to be made. However, the owners of the Magic City Casino aren’t ready to give up just yet. Keep in mind that their initial lawsuit came out on top via a decision by a U.S. District Judge. Now, they’re hoping that a rehearing can close down the pact between The Seminole Tribe and Governor Ron DeSantis.
It sure seems like the future of legal sports betting is totally up in the air for Florida. It felt like things were finally moving in the right direction, but now everyone is going to be worried that this could end up taking much longer than expected. With the start of the college football and NFL season on the way, this is something that needs to get figured out as soon as possible, otherwise the worry will grow.
The betting revenue potential for Florida is through the roof. However, the longer things are delayed, the more money DeSantis and the rest of the state’s government will be losing. On top of that, illegal activity continues to be an issue, with millions of dollars being transferred in an unregulated fashion. This is something that needs to end in the near future, there’s no doubt about that.
Today is the deadline for West Flagler to request an appeal of a ruling that overturned a 2021 Florida gaming compact that allows, among other things, the Seminole Tribe to offer Florida online sports betting.
The deadline is not time-specific, as long request is submitted today
— RLinnehanXL (@RLinnehanXl) August 14, 2023
Sports fans are worried that legal betting won’t arrive for the football season
It goes without saying, but sports fans are worried that legal betting won’t arrive for the football season. In only two weeks, Week 1 of the NFL season will arrive. Before that, though, the college game will get underway and people are going to be checking the NCAAF betting odds consistently. With the NFL, people all over Florida are paying close attention to the NFL betting odds for the local teams.
This includes the Jacksonville Jaguars, who are dreaming of a trip to the Super Bowl. The Jaguars nearly took down the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round last season. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence is fired up to put on a show in 2023 and he’s feeling confident now that tight end Evan Engram has signed a new contract, plus star receiver Calvin Ridley will be able to suit up for the team following his long suspension.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are getting ready for life without Tom Brady. This week, the Bucs announced that former No. 1 overall pick Baker Mayfield will be the team’s starting quarterback entering the new campaign. There’s going to be a ton of pressure on Mayfield to deliver, as his career hasn’t gone according to plan thus far. Luckily for him, receiver Mike Evans will be there to make big plays for him.
As for the college game, there’s always going to be a ton of attention around the area on the Florida Gators, Florida State Seminoles and Miami Hurricanes. All three of those NCAA squads will look to be dominant this year. However, as excited as people are to see them in action, there’s a growing concern that they won’t be able to place legal bets on them once again this fall. Only time will tell if that happens to be the case or not.
2023 Schedule Release
You can’t write this stuff… or can you?@Dream_Finders | #DUUUVAL pic.twitter.com/UKDuwtpfBB
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) May 12, 2023
MLB betting will also be impacted if things are delayed
There’s no question that MLB betting will also be impacted if things are delayed. We are getting close to the end of the regular season, which means that people have switched their focus to their favorite teams going on deep runs in the playoffs. We have seen some clubs really improve this month, highlighted by the Seattle Mariners. The Mariners are 16-4 in August, raising their MLB betting odds to win the AL West.
As for teams in Florida, the Miami Marlins have been a disappointment, but the Tampa Bay Rays are making a ton of noise still. Once the playoffs arrive, baseball fans are going to be ready to see what Tampa Bay is made of. Could a return to the Fall Classic be on the way for them?
That’s unknown, but what we do know is that baseball’s popularity is sky-high in Florida. The closer we get to October, the more desperate people are going to be to check the best-rated sportsbooks for odds in order to place a bet. Will people be able to place legal wagers on MLB action this fall, though? We can’t wait to find out.
