Florida has come to an agreement with Republican Governor Ron DeSantis and the Seminole Tribe in a deal which would allow the tribe to operate sports betting in the state.
After a 97-17 vote, sports betting in Florida has now been legalized and as a result, the state could gain $20bn over the next 30 years.
The compact still needs to be approved by the US Department of the Interior and there might still be some legal challenges for DeSantis and the Seminole Tribe.
The agreement has come under scrutiny from Democratic representatives as they believe it violates Amendment 3, which gives voters the chance to approve any gambling expansion in Florida.
Others also voiced concern over the fact that the compact violates the state constitution that keeps betting activity on tribal lands, although the tribe has said that bets would be processed at a property it owns.
As of now, the approval stands and it could mean that the Seminole Tribe could launch sports betting in Florida as early as October 15.
The Department of the Interior, headed by Deb Haaland (pictured), has 45 days to review the compact and decide whether it wants to let the agreement proceed.
“Obviously, having this kind of agreement, you’re navigating kind of the icebergs or legal hurdles,” said House Speaker Chris Sprowls. “The Legislature has sent Governor DeSantis a bill which would create a gaming commission that can regulate and investigate any suspicious or illegal gambling activity.
