The ongoing feud involving West Flagler and Associates regarding the future of sports gambling in Florida has taken a fresh turn. The corporation is resorting to the intervention of the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) in hopes of thwarting the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s pursuit of dominating and broadening the sports betting sphere.
While sports wagering temporarily received legalization in Florida, it was swiftly put on hold when disputes erupted between casino firms and the Seminole Tribe. The commencement of sports betting in the state occurred on November 1, 2021, yet it was abruptly suspended on December 4 the same year. This litigious conflict has kept different factions within the state engaged since then.
An agreement with Gov. Ron DeSantis has provided the Seminole Tribe the exclusive rights to conduct sports betting, creating discontent amongst casino operator competitors.
These operators argue that the agreement goes against the constitution as it was enacted without securing voter endorsement. Moreover, they are emphasizing that tribal operators should not be given the license to operate outside their respective tribal terrains as it contravenes the laws of Florida.
West Flagler and Associates has been ardently trying to overturn the mandate passed by the DC Circuit Court of Appeals. Their latest attempt for a stay motion to prolong the issue was declined by the DC Circuit Court.
With limited alternatives left, West Flagler has decided to initiate a petition to escalate the case to the apex court, SCOTUS.
The Conflict Continues
The chance of the SCOTUS taking up the case presented by West Flagler and Associates remains uncertain. This predicament could potentially persist as everyone awaits the supreme court’s verdict.
Regardless of the outcome, the initiation of this petition is aimed at postponing the Seminole Tribe’s launch of its Hard Rock Bet brand.
Intent on blocking the tribe’s expansion into sports betting, West Flagler also presented a constitutional challenge against the Governor of Florida. As per their argument, the Governor erred in expanding the state’s gambling sector without securing public consensus.
West Flagger accuses the tribe’s betting operations of contravening the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) and possibly overstepping the state’s norms, prohibiting tribal gaming outside of tribal territory. It was further pointed out that granting the Seminole tribe the prerogative to increase its betting operations may conflict with the Equal Protection Clause as it hands the tribe monopoly over this industry statewide.
To add context, earlier this year, the casino operators from the state suffered a legal defeat before a three-judge panel at the federal level. Yet, West Flagler managed to reignite the battle subsequently.
