Florida Hits the Jackpot – Seminole Tribe and Governor DeSantis Signs Gaming and Betting Agreement

Governor Ron DeSantis is at it again! Back in March, DeSantis met with lawmakers to discuss possible options to bring betting and gaming to Florida, specifically Miami. Now, his plan seems to be falling into place.

A historic deal took place on Friday when Governor DeSantis signed a gaming compact with the Seminole Tribe of Florida that would bring ‘mobile sports betting’ as well as ‘Vegas-style’ casinos to tribal facilities in Florida. According to Marcellus Osceola Jr. on Friday, Chairman of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, stated “The agreement we are about to sign is going to be life changing for our tribe.”

What the Agreement Will Look Like

• Ages 21 and older (located within Florida) can use the app to place sports bets (sports teams would not be allowed to bet)
• Bets would be routed through the Seminole Tribe for the next 30 years
• The Seminole Tribe would agree to pay $500 million in annual payments to Florida (this amount could increase depending upon the market and profits)
• The agreement would allow the transfer of slot machine licenses within Miami-Dade and Broward counties
• An exclusive right to operate craps and roulette at all of the Tribe’s casinos and to build three more casinos on existing tribal property

Challenges Facing the Agreement

This agreement may come up against some legal challenges due to a constitutional amendment that was passed by voters in 2018 that requires a vote for all new games in Florida. Miami business leader, Armando Codina has hired a lawyer to fight the gambling agreement and if the agreement is approved, he stated that he plans to sue the State of Florida. According to the Miami Herald, there are others that plan on joining the fight if approved.

Final Notes

Before approval, this agreement must be ratified by the Florida Legislature as well as approved by the U.S. Department of Interior. Governor DeSantis and Senate leaders are due to meet on May 17th to discuss the issue and is expecting approval for the compact by August 2021. According to the Miami Herald, if this agreement is approved it will be the “most populous state in the nation to offer mobile sports betting!”

Are Casinos Coming to Miami?

Jeffrey Soffer, billionaire and son of real estate developer Donald Soffer, is pushing lawmakers to update Florida gambling laws. According to Miami’s Local 10 News, Miami Beach commissioners have hired lawyers to stop Soffer from building a casino under the Fontainebleau brand.

Miami Beach Mayor Gelber’s mission is to ‘discourage late-night entertainment in the city,’ and Soffer’s plan to build a casino goes against this.

According to Mayor Gelber, “What they are going to want to do apparently is take casino licenses, take gaming licenses, gambling licenses that exist right now in parimutuels — slot machines, card games, and things like that — and allow them to become portable.”

Also reported to be involved in the endeavor includes former President Donald Trump, who wants to open a casino at his current resort, Doral.

The Miami Herald has reported that Governor Ron DeSantis, has met with parimutuel owners to discuss casino openings and guidelines.

As part of he legislation, Genting’s Resort World Miami as well as the Seminole Tribe would be included and would greatly benefit from the legalization.

If this legislation passes, gambling licenses would be allowed to transfer into areas that currently do not allow it and local governments could not enforce any laws prohibiting it. The legislation is currently being drafted and will be released to the public within the next few weeks.