The Seminole Tribe will open its Florida Thursday, a tribal spokesperson confirmed to Sports Handle Monday evening. No other information about the launch was provided, but it will coincide with the opening of sportsbooks at three retail locations, including at the Seminoles’ flagship Hollywood casino.
“We’re continuing our rollout of the Hard Rock Bet app in Florida and look forward to the official launch of in-person and mobile sports betting on Thursday,” spokesman Gary Bitner said via email.
Hard Rock Bet has been available to a U.S. Supreme Court in February 2024.
Both cases seek to have the sports betting monopoly created by the 2021 compact declared illegal. WFA previously asked the Supreme Court to keep a stay in place that would have prevented launch and then asked the Florida court to order the Seminoles to take their platform down. Both courts refused.
Bon Jovi, Mike Tyson, Bruno Mars to be on hand a1j41
The Seminoles are promising a star-studded opening at their Hollywood location near Fort Lauderdale Thursday, with Jon Bon Jovi, Tiesto, Heather Graham, DJ Khaled, Mike Tyson, and Dwyane Wade on hand. Additionally, Bruno Mars is set to perform at the Hard Rock Live.
In addition to sports betting, the tribe will debut craps and roulette, both of which are part of the expansion of gaming included in the compact.
“The Seminole Tribe of Florida is proud to point to a new era in Florida gaming with the unveiling of our new casino games,” Chairman Marcellus Osceola said in a press release. “With the addition of craps, roulette, and sports betting, we now offer a full complement of casino games and we the ranks of leading casinos around the world.”
The retail rollout will be staggered, with sportsbooks at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, Seminole Classic Casino in Hollywood, and Seminole Casino Coconut Creek set to open Thursday. The tribe will roll out the new games at its Tampa location Friday, and at its Immokalee (Naples) and Brighton (near Lake Okeechobee) locations Monday.
