End to legal battle between Seminole Tribe of Florida and West Flagler Parties
Pair will now collaborate on offering and promoting wagering on Jai Alai (in somewhat of a U-turn…).
Key Points
- End of longstanding legal dispute over rights to operate online sports betting
- Partnership sees the Tribe and West Flagler Parties offer and promote Jai Alai from early 2025
A longstanding legal battle related to the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s gaming operations has come to an end.
West Flagler Associates, LTD, Bonita-Fort Myers Corporation, Southwest Florida Enterprises, Inc., and Isadore Havenick have entered an agreement with the Tribe whereby they won’t pursue any future litigation related to its gaming operations.
On top of this, the Seminole Tribe of Florida and West Flagler Parties have agreed a deal which will see them offer and promote wagering on Jai Alai on the Hard Rock Bet app, with the launch expected for early 2025.
Disputes had been ongoing for some time, since Governor Ron DeSantis allowed the Seminoles to offer online wagering within the state in 2021, which led to federal lawsuits.
One claimed the deal violated the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act and another looking at an amendment to the Florida Constitution that requires voters to approve any expansion of gambling in Florida.
This deal also comes after the US Supreme Court in June rejected a challenge to the agreement that gave the Seminole Tribe in Florida exclusive rights to operate online sports betting in the Sunshine State.
Seminole Gaming CEO Jim Allen said, “This is truly a win-win agreement for the Seminole Tribe and West Flagler. This agreement establishes a relationship of collaboration among the Seminole Tribe and West Flagler in the State of Florida.
“Rather than engaging in years of additional litigation, this agreement will allow the parties to work together to promote Jai Alai, which has played an important role in Florida’s gaming landscape for nearly 100 years.”
Isadore Havenick added, “We are thrilled to be partnering with the Seminole Tribe in support of their gaming operations in Florida and to promote Jai Alai, which has been a critical component of Florida’s gaming industry since the 1920s.
“We are proud that Jai Alai will be featured on the Hard Rock Bet app and we look forward to developing a strong partnership with the Seminole Tribe.”
Tags/Keywords
Players trust our reporting due to our commitment to unbiased and professional evaluations of the iGaming sector. We track hundreds of platforms and industry updates daily to ensure our news feed and leaderboards reflect the most recent market shifts. With nearly two decades of experience within iGaming, our team provides a wealth of expert knowledge. This long-standing expertise enables us to deliver thorough, reliable news and guidance to our readers.
Latest News
