West Flagler has filed a constitutional challenge in a last-ditch attempt to stop Seminole sports betting. [Image: Shutterstock.com]
The legal battle over sports betting in Florida continues to rage, and West Flagler Associates. Ltd has just said its final greetings, Mary.
The South Florida poker room operator wants to stop the Seminole Tribe of Florida from starting sports betting through its contract signed with Gov. Ron DeSantis. To that end, it has just filed a lawsuit with the Florida Supreme Court challenging the state constitution, which could invalidate the compact if approved.
exceeded his authority by entering into a pact with the Seminole.
Daniel Wallach, gambling law expert and sports betting lawyer, shared the official challenge document
Earlier this month, it appeared likely that Florida sports betting could launch very soon through its Hard Rock brand after an appeals court restored the Seminole gambling contract. In doing so, it denied West Flagler’s request for an en banc hearing, ruling that the reasons given by the poker room operator did not justify a rehearing.
Legal expert Wallach warned that filing the constitutional lawsuit could further delay the reintroduction of sports betting in Florida. “Due to licensing considerations in other states, rebooting Hard Rock may be too risky,” he concluded.
The battle for Florida betting has been raging since November 2021, when the Hard Rock Sportsbook went live for less than a month. That short term ended when a federal judge threw out the contract on the grounds that it violated the Indian Gambling Regulatory Act.
