The Supreme Court denied West Flager Associates’ petition for writ of certiorari on Monday, delivering a crushing blow to the Florida parimutuel in its fight against the Seminole Tribe of Florida.
The decision by the court to not take up the case practically closes the chapter on legal challenges in the matter. Over the last several years, the tribe faced a flurry of litigation on a “hub-and-spoke” model for sports betting'throughout the state. West Flagler Associates (WFA) petitioned the court to consider its attempt to invalidate a 2021 compact between the tribe and the State of Florida. The compact grants the tribe exclusivity on mobile sports wagering in the state.
The petition served as West Flagler’s last chance to overturn a decision by the U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Columbia last June. That decision reversed a previous ruling by a federal judge who held that the compact violated the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA).
On the state level, the Florida Supreme Court denied WFA’s petition in March to deem the compact unconstitutional. There, the parimutuel argued that the state’s executive and legislative branches abused their authority. Though West Flagler still has options in state court, the parimutuel has practically exhausted every opportunity to challenge the compact.