Florida governor Ron DeSantis signs sports betting deal

The governor has signed the deal that allows the Seminole Tribe to operate sports betting in Florida.

Florida.- Governor Ron DeSantis has signed the deal that allows the Seminole Tribe to operate sports betting and add roulette and craps to its casinos in Florida.

The deal had already been passed by the House and the Senate but will now need to be approved by the US Department of the Interior, which oversees tribal gambling operations. Lawmakers supporting the deal expect legal challenges.

According to supporters, Florida would potentially receive $20bn over the next 30 years under the agreement.

Gov. Ron DeSantis reached the gambling compact with the tribe last month, and the Florida House and Senate approved the deal last week.

DeSantis also signed a bill on Tuesday that will create a gaming commission to regulate pari-mutuels and investigate illegal gambling in the state.

Sports betting deal could face legal challenges

Democrats opposing the bill claim that the compact violates Amendment 3 passed by voters in 2018.

The amendment to the state constitution prevents the expansion of gambling outside of tribal lands without voter approval. Opponents say the compact will not survive a legal challenge.

However, supporters argue that the servers that process bets would be located on Seminole Tribe’s properties, avoiding conflict with the amendment.