Two of Florida’s biggest rivals in the gambling industry, the Seminole Tribe and the Disney Corporation, have joined forces in an unprecedented move to ask the courts to stop online sports gambling off tribal lands.
The Seminole Tribe, which operates several successful casinos in the state, including the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa, has long been a dominant player in Florida’s gambling industry. However, the recent legalization of online sports betting in the state has posed a threat to their revenue stream.
On the other hand, the Disney Corporation has a long-standing opposition to expanding gambling in the state, citing concerns about the negative social impacts associated with it. The company has even gone as far as funding campaigns against gambling expansion in Florida.
The two rivals have put aside their differences to file a lawsuit in federal court, seeking to put a stop to online sports betting that takes place off tribal lands. They argue that allowing such gambling would violate the tribal gaming compact that they have with the state, which gives them exclusive rights to offer certain types of gambling in exchange for sharing revenue with the state.
The lawsuit has sent shockwaves through the gambling industry in Florida, as online sports betting has become a lucrative market that many companies were hoping to tap into. The Seminole Tribe and Disney are determined to protect their interests and maintain their dominance in the state’s gambling market.
Legal experts predict that the lawsuit could have far-reaching implications for the future of online sports betting in Florida, as well as for the broader gambling industry in the state. It remains to be seen how the courts will rule on this groundbreaking case, but one thing is clear – the battle between these two powerful rivals is far from over.