Key points:
- The Seminole Tribe and West Flagler Parties end years of litigation
- Agreement includes Jai Alai promotion on Hard Rock Bet
- Launch anticipated for early 2025
The Seminole Tribe of Florida and West Flagler Associates, alongside other entities affiliated with West Flagler, have reached a formal agreement that effectively concludes ongoing legal conflicts regarding gaming rights in Florida.
This new agreement also sets the stage for a partnership in which Jai Alai betting, managed by Battle Court Jai Alai, an affiliate of West Flagler, will be available on the Seminole Tribe’s Hard Rock Bet app in early 2025.
Under the terms of this agreement, West Flagler commits to refraining from any future legal actions against the Seminole Tribe’s gaming operations, which include current and future mobile gaming services.
Both parties will focus on this newly established partnership to expand betting options, adding Jai Alai as a featured sport on Hard Rock Bet.
This development follows the Florida Supreme Court’s March 2024 decision upholding the Seminole Tribe’s gaming compact with the state, which granted the tribe exclusive rights to online sports betting.
The compact faced multiple challenges from West Flagler and other gaming entities, who argued it granted the tribe a monopoly over sports betting and online gaming in Florida.
Good to know: With this agreement in place, both the Seminole Tribe and West Flagler Parties are expected to explore further cooperative ventures as they strengthen their positions in Florida’s betting market
Despite these legal disputes, the Seminole Tribe’s online gaming operations contributed over $120m in state revenue in 2024, with state projections estimating potential revenue growth in the coming years.
Jim Allen, Seminole Gaming CEO, said: “Rather than engaging in years of additional litigation, this agreement will allow the parties to work together to promote Jai Alai, which has played an important role in Florida’s gaming landscape for nearly 100 years.”
West Flagler’s Isadore Havenick added: “We are thrilled to be partnering with the Seminole Tribe in support of its gaming operations in Florida and to promote Jai Alai, which has been a critical component of Florida’s gaming industry since the 1920s.”