Seminole Casino Immokalee debuts sports betting

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sports betting
Credit: WINK

The Seminole Casino in Immokalee is now accepting sports betting.

The betting officially began at 10 a.m., Monday.

Celebrities in sports and entertainment, like Tony Ortiz and Jimmy Johnson, were among those in attendance at a celebration for the sports betting deal between the Seminole Tribe and the State of Florida.

A 30-year gaming contract was signed by the Seminole tribe and the state of Florida back in 2021; however, sports betting and gambling were put on pause.

In October, the U.S. Supreme Court re-affirmed the $2.5 billion deal.

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a compact in 2021 with the Seminole Tribe of Florida, which grants the tribe exclusivity over sports betting.

The tribe agreed to pay the state $500 million per year for exclusivity over sports betting in the state.

The owners of the Bonita Springs Poker Room filed a lawsuit, arguing part of the compact violates federal law.

A federal court agreed and struck down the deal. Afterward, an appeals court in Washington D.C. reinstated it.

“The Man above has truly blessed the Seminole Tribe of Florida, and everybody who is associated with us,” said Marcellus William Osceola Jr., chairman of the Seminole Tribe of Florida. “Truly, our membership has been blessed for what we’ve been given, what has been bestowed upon us from our ancestors. The fight was long and hard to get here to where we are today. It hasn’t been easy travel for us on the path that we’ve been on.”

WINK News will keep continuous coverage throughout the celebration as the Immokalee location will also unveil its brand-new craps and roulette tables for guests to enjoy.

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