The State of Sports Betting in Florida
The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) is a former law that anyone who would have liked to bet on sports events hated. This federal law banned all but one state from regulating and taxing sports betting.
Fortunately for fans of sports betting, the Supreme Court overturned the law in 2018. Now states can decide for themselves whether to legalize and regulate sports betting since the court had ruled that it was unconstitutional for them not to be able to do so. Several states have leapt into action to capitalize on the freedoms and the benefits the Supreme Court’s ruling has afforded them. Below is a look at the reaction and attitude of some states to gambling and the ruling, with a focus on New York and Florida.
New York: a state that welcomes gambling
For a time, New York was reluctant to embrace gambling but allowed it in the form of state-run lotteries, betting on horse races, gaming at casinos and fund-raising lotteries. In-person betting has been legal since 2013, though, and the state has now begun to embrace online sports betting and allow players to make sports bets online using gaming apps.
New York is a huge market of more than 20 million people, so there’s lots of money for operators to make. When sports betting was legalized, citizens were quick to place money on the Super Bowl and on the college football championship. New York is also one of the only states to have more than one team in all of its major sports. This creates scope for millions of dollars of bets from fans.
Florida: hoping to embrace online gambling as well
Florida hopes to follow in New York’s footsteps when it comes to betting online. Currently, the Floridian government is trying to undo a ruling that undermines the state’s effort to give the Seminole tribe a control on sports betting in the state. It means that sports betting has come to a halt in the state. The tribe had to operate a special model to comply with a constitutional amendment that requires the approval of voters for it to expand the provision of gambling facilities outside of tribal land. Until the challenge to the ruling, the Seminole tribe had a deal with the state to control sports betting in the state and to offer craps and roulette to its casino operations.
A 2021 change in Floridian law made it possible to bet on sports. However, the current legal wrangle over sports betting means there’s no telling when punters will be able to place bets on sports again in the state. Florida has lawyers fighting its corner, and hopefully sports betting will be available sooner rather than later to customers.
Supporters of sports betting in Florida
The legal dispute means there has been no sports betting in the states since December 2021, which was when the last bet was placed. The activity has many backers, however. Naturally, the State of Florida and the Seminole tribe are all for sports betting. The pursuit also has the support of the US Department of the Interior, whose lawyers also presented a case to the court of appeal that was dealing with the healing.
These aren’t the only backers, though. Some of the state’s sports teams also support the existence of sports betting in the state. NBA team the Miami Heat have a partnership with a major sports betting brand. Major League Baseball side the Tampa Bay Marlins have a partnership with the Seminole tribe, and the league itself struck up a partnership with a famous resort and casino brand not long after sports betting was legalized.
NHL side Tampa Bay Lightning are another local team that benefit from sports betting. They have long had a partnership with an operator, and the exclusivity of this operator in their area would benefit them because of the relationship. The NHL has partnerships with a sports betting operator and a hotel and casino brand.
The future of sports betting in Florida
Although the future of sports betting in the state looks slightly precarious just now, the support of local teams for sports betting makes it hard to picture sports betting being illegal indefinitely. Outside of sport, sports betting also has staunch support.
The good news is that sports betting has begun to spread to neighbouring states. Both Arkansas and Mississippi have embraced sports betting to different levels since the ruling by the US Supreme Court. Legal institutions may feel the pressure to waiver, given that nearby states are looking to make the most of the opportunities legalized sports betting offers.
Only time will time tell whether Florida manages to resolve the discussions around sports betting in the state. Sports betting fans will be hoping for a verdict in their favour so they can pursue this enjoyable past-time once again.
