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The Seminole Tribe of Florida has filed a lawsuit against DraftKings, CEO Jason Robins and GUS III LLC, seeking to stop operations it alleges amount to an illegal Florida sportsbook. The 72-page complaint seeks a shutdown of the challenged products and recovery of profits the Tribe says were obtained unlawfully, according to an Oct. 8 report by EssentiallySports.
The dispute concerns DraftKings’ Pick6 and its Sports & Casino Super App. The Tribe alleges those products circumvent Florida gambling laws and the exclusive sports betting rights granted to it under its 2021 gaming compact with the state. Those claims are allegations, not a court ruling.
Tribe challenges Pick6 and sportsbook-style markets
DraftKings launched Pick6 in Florida in January and its Sports & Casino Super App in June, according to the report.
The complaint alleges the app’s Sports tab offers conventional sportsbook markets, including moneylines, spreads, totals, player props and parlays. The Tribe also argues that Pick6 is essentially equivalent to wagering on player props, which it says falls within its exclusive rights under the compact.
To support its argument, the complaint cites comments by Robins about similarities between prediction products and traditional sportsbooks, as well as expansion into states where DraftKings does not have legal sports betting.
The Tribe also raises an age-limit issue. Its lawsuit alleges that people as young as 18 can use DraftKings’ prediction products, while Florida requires customers to be 21 to place legal sports bets. It argues that the challenged operations divert wagering from Florida’s regulated system and deprive users of protections guaranteed by state law.
Florida compact rights and state revenue at issue
Florida’s 2021 gaming compact granted the Seminole Tribe exclusive sports betting rights in exchange for payments to the state. Florida received $1.04 billion under the compact in the fiscal year that ended June 30, according to the report.
The Tribe contends that wagers accepted through the challenged DraftKings products divert revenue supporting tribal and state public programs and government services.
Gov. Ron DeSantis addressed the dispute while acknowledging that he had not read the lawsuit. “The Tribe were given the purview on sports betting,” he said.
DeSantis also questioned how prediction markets fit within an existing sports gaming framework and said the issue could reach federal appeals courts and Congress. Those comments do not establish a next proceeding in this lawsuit; the reported relief sought by the Tribe remains a shutdown of the challenged operations and recovery of allegedly unlawful profits.
More from playfl.com – FTC Begins Early Review of Sportsbook Advertising, With FanDuel and DraftKings in Focus – Seminole Tribe sues DraftKings in Florida as NFL presses Supreme Court on prediction markets – DraftKings faces Florida lawsuit over prediction-market products
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Source: As reported by essentiallysports.com.
