In the last year, Florida has had a number of important developments in sports betting. The Hard Rock Sportsbook launched their mobile app, the Seminole Tribe legalized sports betting, and a State referendum is set to take place in 2022. While these developments are significant, there are still many steps before the new industry can take off.
Hard Rock Sportsbook launches mobile app
The Hard Rock Sportsbook has launched a mobile app that will let you wager on Florida sports. The app will also offer a risk-free bet up to $100 on your first deposit. Florida is one of the states that has legalized digital sports betting, but it remains a relatively new practice. Hard Rock Interactive, the company behind the app, did not issue a press release about its launch.
Hard Rock is the only sportsbook that offers online sports betting in Florida, but that’s due to a gaming compact between the state government and the Seminole Tribe. In fact, the agreement violated the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. Since the Seminole Tribe bought Hard Rock in 2007, the brand has grown tremendously. As part of that expansion, Hard Rock built a mobile sportsbook and website. This application was tested in Iowa and New Jersey, and is now live in Florida.
The app requires registration and requires users to verify their age and residency. It has a geolocation feature to avoid wagering from outside the state. The app can be downloaded through the web or the app store. Users can then register an account and place bets. For Android users, the process is slightly more complex. Before, there weren’t many gambling apps on Google Play. Now, however, there are many sports betting apps in the store, including Caesars Racebook.
Florida sports betting was legalized in May, following a special session of the legislature. The Seminole Tribe, which governs the state’s casino industry, signed the agreement in order to allow sports betting. The compact guarantees the Tribe $500 million in annual revenue.
Seminole Tribe legalizes sports betting
The Seminole Tribe, which controls a few of Florida’s largest casinos, has announced that sports betting is legal in their facilities. Five Florida facilities have signed agreements with the tribe to offer sports betting. They are the Palm Beach Kennel Club, Hialeah Park Casino, Ocala Gainesville Poker, Ocala Breeder’s Sales Company and Tampa Bay Downs.
In order to open sports betting sites in Florida, the Seminole Tribe has entered into marketing agreements with the state’s parimutuels. These companies will get a 60 percent cut of any profits the tribe generates from sports betting. The Tribe said Thursday that it has signed contracts with the Palm Beach Kennel Club, Hialeah Park Casino, Ocala Gainesville Poker, and Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. In addition, the Seminole Tribe has partnered with Tampa Bay Downs and TGT Poker & Racebook. The tribe says it will spend a total of $2.5 billion over the first five years of the 30-year-long agreement.
The Seminole Tribe has a mobile app for sports betting. In response to the ruling, the app has temporarily stopped accepting new bets and deposits. The tribe says the shutdown will not last long because of the appeals court’s ruling.
State referendum on legalizing sports betting to be held in 2022
A sports betting referendum in Maine may not happen this year, but it is likely to come sometime in the 2022. State lawmakers are still working out the details of two bills that will bring legalized sports betting to the state. The House bill passed last July, but has languished in the Senate since. Despite the fact that it may not happen this year, lawmakers still have plenty of time to pass the legislation and send it to Governor Charlie Baker’s desk.
The US Supreme Court struck down a federal ban on single-game wagering in 2018 and nearly two-thirds of the US states have legalized the practice, which can be done through mobile apps and in-person sportsbooks. This decision has spurred the growth of the sports betting industry in the US. Many people believe that, by 2022, all states could have legalized sports betting. This is why it is expected that retail and online sports betting initiatives will be on the ballot in California next year.
The debate over legalizing sports betting in Georgia is not a new one. Many professional sports teams and other groups support the initiative, with the exception of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who has said that legalized sports betting will not be legal in Texas before 2021. While Patrick has pushed back against the idea, several bills have been filed for legislative consideration.