Sports Betting
DraftKings and FanDuel could join Hard Rock in the Florida sports betting market
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin is a fan of the NFL and NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is sports and being able to share that through his writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became a Sports Editor, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
Get to know Zach Wolpin betterPublished2 hours ago on October 10, 2024
In Florida, the Seminole Tribes have a monopoly on the casino market. The only sports betting operator they have a partnership with is Hard Rock. However, top U.S. sportsbooks like DraftKings and FanDuel could soon find their way into the Florida sports betting market. On Tuesday, Hard Rock International Chairman and Seminole Gaming CEO Jim Allen spoke about the potential to open the market to more operators.
Allen hinted that the Seminole Tribe and Hard Rock are open to adding operators in the state. At the Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas on Tuesday, says Hard Rock has developed a “great relationship” with DraftKings and FanDuel. They realize that long-term relationships with marquee brands are beneficial for their company. Allen did mention he met with representatives from both DraftKings and FanDuel at the Global Gaming Expo.
What does the sports betting market currently look like in Florida?
The Seminole Tribe of Florida holds exclusive rights to online and retail sports betting. Back in 2021, the Seminole Tribe fought off a voter initiative to allow DraftKings and FanDuel into the state. In response to that, Hard Rock was launched in late 2021. However, a federal court halted wagering. It wasn’t until late 2023 that that decision was reversed.
In June 2024, West Flagler Associates was denied a “writ of certiorari.” This locked in Hard Rock as the sole sports betting operator in Florida. That ended any federal involvement in the sports betting market in Florida. While it looked like no other operators had any chance, Jim Allen’s recent comments would say otherwise.
What could DraftKings and FanDuel bring to Florida?
Flutter is the parent company of FanDuel and they held their investors meeting last month. Their CEO Amy Howe mentioned Florida, Texas, and California as states where FanDuel is looking to expand. She referred to those states as the “big three” in sports betting. The most lucrative sports betting market in the United States is New York. FanDuel and DraftKings are the top operators in the market.
