Seminole Tribe introduces online sports betting for eligible Florida residents

The Seminole Tribe of Florida recently announced the opening of online sports betting for some Florida residents. However, the access is limited to those who already have the tribe’s sports betting app downloaded from 2021 before it was challenged in court.

In a statement released by the Seminole Tribe, it was revealed that they are offering restricted access to existing Florida customers to test its Hard Rock Bet platform. They have not specified when the online version will be opened to all Floridians, but they did mention that in-person sports betting and expanded gaming options for everyone are set to go live in December.

According to the tribe’s statement, events and offerings include the launch of craps, roulette, and sports betting on specific dates in December at various Seminole Casinos across South Florida. These casinos include the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, Seminole Classic Casino in Hollywood, Seminole Casino Coconut Creek, and Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa. Additionally, Seminole Casino Immokalee near Naples and Seminole Brighton Casino on the northwest side of Lake Okeechobee will also launch these new games.

The announcement of expanded betting at Seminole gaming sites came about a week after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an emergency bid on Oct. 25 to block the multibillion-dollar agreement between Florida and the Seminole Tribe to offer online sports betting throughout the state.

As for the future of online sports betting, the Seminole Tribe is ramping up its efforts to provide wider access and opportunities for sports betting among Florida residents. This move is seen as a major step towards integrating online sports betting into the state’s gambling landscape.

John MacLauchlan is a digital team member with CBSMiami.com and has played a crucial role in covering the latest developments in online sports betting in Florida.