Florida’s only legal online sportsbook — for now, at least — is throwing open its doors to everyone, not just early birds and loyalty club members.
Hard Rock Bet relaunched in Florida last month after a two-year hiatus brought on by a legal battle over mobile sports betting in the Sunshine State.
The relaunch, however, was on a limited basis. Only those who signed up with the online sportsbook in 2021 or who were members of Hard Rock’s Unity loyalty program were allowed on the platform to wager.
But after about a month of this, the Hard Rock and its Seminole owners have decided to open the sportsbook for all Floridians aged 21 and older. The move comes just ahead of the launch of in-person event wagering and other games at the tribe’s brick-and-mortar casinos in the state on Dec. 7.
“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,” a spokesperson for the Seminole Tribe told Covers via email on Tuesday.
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The decision is another sign of the growing conviction the Seminole Tribe has that they have the legal backing to offer sports betting across the state, even though potential court challenges are still pending in Washington, D.C., and Florida.
Hard Rock launched briefly in Florida in late 2021 before it shut down after a judge threw out federal approval of a gaming agreement between the state and the Seminole. The decision was reversed earlier this year, and although it is still being fought over in federal court, it gave the Seminole the legal cover they needed to relaunch Hard Rock Bet in Florida in November.
The tribe is now preparing to add in-person sports betting, craps, and roulette to its gaming repertoire starting on Thursday at Seminole-owned casinos. A host of celebrities are scheduled to attend the grand opening at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Hollywood in South Florida, including Jon Bon Jovi, Tiësto, Heather Graham, DJ Khaled, and Mike Tyson.
“The entertainment, travel and tourism industries, and many more, will see positive economic impact caused by the new casino games,” Seminole Gaming CEO Jim Allen said in a recent press release. “They will increase tourism to Florida and boost employment not only at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood, but also at businesses in the areas surrounding this casino complex and others operated by Seminole Gaming throughout Florida.”
