SportsHandle and friends deliver another round-up of the week’s big developments in US sports betting.
Seminoles Won’t Be Able To Launch Sports Wagering In Florida Until Late August
After the U.S. Court of Appeals for the the District of Columbia recently overturned a lower court ruling, sports betting is now technically legal in Florida.
Once the court’s June 30 ruling is put into effect, the Seminole Tribe, which has a monopoly on gaming in the state, would have the right to open retail sportsbooks at any of its tribal casinos, launch its Hard Rock Digital platform, and establish partnerships with parimutuels that could potentially bring other operators into the state.
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Ohio First To Try To Ban Bettors Who Threaten Athletes
Ohio’s unprecedented sports betting tax hike as part of an omnibus budget bill signed into law by Gov. Mike DeWine last week wasn’t the only change setting it apart from other legalized states.
The Ohio General Assembly’s conference committee version of HB 33 approved by lawmakers last week also included a first-of-its-kind provision to ban from sports betting those “who threaten violence or harm against persons who are involved in sporting events.”
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What Do Foster Kids Have To Do With The Future Of Sports Betting?
On the surface, a 7-2 U.S. Supreme Court ruling affirming the validity of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) would appear to have nothing to do with legal sports betting or other forms of gambling. But beneath that surface, the decision may prove quite relevant to a case concerning commercial operator Maverick Gaming’s challenge to a tribal monopoly over sports wagering and Class III casino gaming in Washington state.
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Ohio Lawmakers Double Sports Wagering Tax
Ohio lawmakers Friday became the first in the nation to increase a state’s tax on sports betting operators after it went live in a U.S. jurisdiction.
The raise — from 10% to 20% — was first introduced by Gov. Mike DeWine when he shared his budget proposal early in the year. After a conference committee included the raise in its report and both legislative chambers approved it on Friday, DeWine signed into law the fiscal year 2024-25 budget bill with the increase, which went into effect on Saturday.
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New Jersey Set To Extend Online Casino Through 2028 After A Week Of Negotiation
After a week of back and forth, the New Jersey legislature sent a bill Friday to Gov. Phil Murphy’s desk to extend internet gaming another five years.
The original bill was set to extend iGaming for 10 years, through 2033. But early last week, an Assembly committee cut the 10-year window to two years. This was done without public comment, and there was an immediate backlash from the casinos and trade groups.
As a result, less than 48 hours later, the bill was amended to extend iCasino — which was legalized in 2013 — for another five years.
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New Northville Downs Site Draws ‘Growing Organized Citizen Opposition’
A mere four weeks ago, it appeared as though the relocation of the 79-year-old Northville Downs harness racing track to a new facility in nearby Plymouth Township was at the doorstep of approval. Only one member of the Detroit suburb’s Board of Trustees, Chuck Curmi, had voted against the project, while concerns about traffic on Five Mile Road and additional onsite gambling options seemed relatively muted.
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