South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
Deal could change future of betting
Agreement could affect sports gambling throughout Florida, open the door to several other alterations
A sweeping deal signed Friday could have huge implications for South Florida’s gambling future.
Legal bets could be placed on Dolphins and Heat games. The Seminole Tribe of Florida’s reservation in Hollywood — already home to a casino and massive guitar-shaped hotel — could be expanded into an even bigger entertainment hub that resembles a block in Las Vegas.
Craps and roulette would help lure high-rollers to South Florida.
The deal signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Seminole Tribe on Friday is step one in a process that will play out in coming weeks.
Here’s what we know so far.
What sports can I bet on?
Wagers could be placed on any professional or collegiate sporting event, as well as motorsports and even the Olympics.
Proposition bets would be prohibited for college games. That’s a type of betting where you wager on specific events during the game, such as whether a player will fumble the ball or a batter will hit a home run.
When can I start betting on sports?
Gambling issues in Tallahassee
are complicated, and the deal isn’t done yet. The Legislature has to approve it during a special session that starts May 17. Then the federal government has to sign off.
There’s also the threat of litigation from anti-gambling interests that want the deal scrapped. Gambling opponents maintain only voters can approve sports betting in Florida.
Two gambling experts — Bob Jarvis and Daniel Wallach — gave different time frames on how long it could take before legal sports betting can start in Florida, assuming the Legislature approves.
Jarvis said he thinks betting on some sporting events could start as early as the fall. Wallach anticipates legal issues take sports betting off the table for this year, and the federal government may not even sign off on the deal.
How old will I have to be?
You’ll have to be at least 21 to gamble on sports.
So where can I bet?
The framework envisions statewide online sports betting that would be overseen by the Seminole Tribe.
What exactly this will look like will be hammered out by the Legislature in coming weeks. It’s yet to be determined whether you’ll be able to place bets at sporting stadiums or from the comfort of your own couch on game day.
How else would gambling change at Florida casinos?
The Seminole Tribe would be able to introduce craps and roulette at its casinos, including its casinos in Hollywood and Coconut Creek.
Those games are popular with high-rollers and would make South Florida more competitive in luring wealthy gamblers.
The agreement allows three new casinos to be built on the Seminole Tribe’s reservation in Hollywood. The property’s guitarshaped hotel is already a South Florida landmark.
Conceivably, MGM, Caesars or other big-name brand casinos could be added to bolster the area’s appeal as a gambling destination.
The deal also opens the door to the transfer of gambling licenses, which could change the gambling landscape in South Florida. Eric Trump, former President Donald Trump’s son, has expressed interest in converting Trump National Doral into a gambling destination. Billionaire real estate mogul Jeffrey Soffer has been pushing for a casino at the Fontainebleau Resort in Miami Beach.