Legal experts believe the odds are in favor of sports betting’s return long term, both online and in-person. “Now that it’s finally happening, people need to see it to believe it.” ‘Prettier, better’ “I know it’s come up a few times in Miami and been shot down before,” he said. ” … ‘Are they hiring for blackjack dealers? What does this mean? Will they expand the hotel?’ All these questions but nothing specifically pro or con about actual sports betting itself.” “What I’ve heard is questions about ‘when is it starting?’” he said. Peter Ricci, a Florida Atlantic University professor who specializes in hospitality and tourism industry trends, thinks that South Florida will see an uptick heading into the Super Bowl, but most of what he hears from local businesses and hospitality employees is uncertainty rather than excitement. Raquel Rodriguez, one of the lawyers representing West Flagler, declined to comment Friday in response to questions about the meaning of the motion.Īny boost to the tourism and hospitality industry may be dampened by uncertainty over the legal situation, experts say. It isn’t immediately clear whether that motion refers to in-person or just mobile. The Florida Supreme Court is currently considering another motion, filed by the tribe’s opponents, a group of pari-mutuels known collectively as West Flagler Associates, that seeks to suspend sports betting. The uncertainty is compounded by the ongoing legal battles. In Hollywood, spokespeople said they weren’t aware of tourism plans in relation to the launch. Stacy Ritter, president and CEO of Visit Lauderdale, Broward’s tourism promotion arm, declined to speculate, telling the Sun Sentinel that “it’s so new that we are just starting to collect the data and analytics we would need to make a determination.” Already, some of those early-access customers have reported on social media they have placed bets.īut the extent to which in-person sports betting might drive tourists to the area in the short term remains unclear. Last week, the mobile app returned for existing customers, while those who became loyalty members could join an “early-access” waitlist. Two weeks ago, the Seminole Tribe announced the return of in-person sports betting. “But it’s only scratching the surface of its potential.” ‘People need to see it to believe it’ Even in a monopoly situation,” said Daniel Wallach, a national sports gambling law expert and attorney based in Hallandale Beach.

“Florida is such a large state, even with one dominant operator, it’s too big of a state to be insignificant.

Casinos and sports betting business