The Seminole Tribe announced Nov. 1 that it would launch limited sports betting and new games at its Florida casinos.

In-person 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. Hard Rock International also relaunched its mobile sports betting app – Hard Rock Bet – on a limited basis. The app is available for those who initially downloaded it in 2021 and for loyalty program members. There is also a waiting list for those who are interested in accessing the app.

On Dec. 8, sports betting, craps and roulette are set to begin at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa; and Dec. 11 at the Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee and Seminole Casino Brighton.

Sports betting, craps and roulette were three significant parts of the tribe’s 2021 gaming compact with the state. Hard Rock Bet was in operation briefly in 2021 before the first in a series of court challenges caused it to shut down.

Pari-mutuel operators in South Florida have sued in both state and federal courts regarding the mobile sports betting aspect of the compact, and that the compact violates a constitutional amendment requiring voter approval of casino expansion. The tribe’s Nov. 1 announcement came days after the U.S. Supreme Court lifted a temporary stay that had been granted on a federal appeals-court ruling that had denied a request from the pari-mutuels, who argued that the tribe’s control over mobile sports betting violated the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

While there are still legal challenges pending in federal and state courts, none are likely to be resolved until sometime in 2024, which means sports betting in Florida would continue for the near term. Florida is now the largest state – among almost 40 – with legalized sports betting. 

“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 Nov. 1 announcement.

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

“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 announcement. “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, hardrock.com and hardrock.bet/florida.