The Seminole Tribe announced in a news release Nov. 1 that it intends to implement aspects of its 2021 gaming compact with the state in December – casino sports betting, and the addition of craps and roulette to its casino games. The release said that the launch would take place at its six Florida casinos.

The announcement came days after the U.S. Supreme Court lifted a temporary stay Oct. 25 that had been granted on a federal appeals-court ruling that had denied a request from two Florida pari-mutuels who argued that the tribe’s control over mobile sports betting violated the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

The Supreme Court decision was the latest ruling in a series of court challenges to the gaming compact’s mobile sports-betting plan since it was signed April 23, 2021. The pari-mutuels have also filed a lawsuit at the Florida Supreme Court, arguing that the sports-betting plan violates a 2018 state constitutional amendment that requires voter approval of gambling expansion. That case was still pending at press time.

The news release didn’t mention whether statewide mobile sports betting, which was briefly in operation through the Hard Rock Bet app in 2021, would start again.

“By working together, the tribe, the state and the federal government achieved a historic legal victory,” Marcellus W. Osceola Jr., the tribe’s chairman, said in the release.

Gov. Ron DeSantis said in the release that implementation of the gaming compact would create jobs, increase tourism and bring billions in revenue to the state.

Casino sports betting, craps and roulette are scheduled to start Dec. 7 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, the Seminole Classic Casino (Hollywood) and the Seminole Casino Coconut Creek. On Dec. 8, the launch is to begin at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa; and Dec. 11 at the Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee and Seminole Casino Brighton.

“With the expansion of the new scope, we are creating over 1,000 new jobs made possible by the compact,” Jim Allen, CEO of Seminole Gaming and chairman of Hard Rock International, said in the release. “This is a historic milestone that immediately puts Florida in the same league with the world’s great gaming destinations.”

The Seminole Tribe is the parent entity of Seminole Gaming and Hard Rock International. More is at theseminolecasinos.com and hardrock.com.