The Seminole Tribe of Florida won on Wednesday a more than a year-long court battle with the state over the right to provide blackjack and other banked table games at its casinos. U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle ruled that the tribe can keep the said gambling options for the next fourteen years.
The Seminole Tribe and state officials signed a 20-year gambling compact back in 2010, under which the tribe was given the exclusive right to operate banked table games at its gambling venues. The exclusivity period expired last July but Seminole casinos did not suspend the provision of the above-mentioned gambling options.
The tribe argued that Florida had violated the five-year exclusivity period by allowing state race tracks to operate non-house-banked or designated-player games. Generally speaking, such games feature a player who acts as the house.
Last year, Florida Governor Rick Scott and Seminole officials negotiated a new gaming compact that would have resulted in the state collecting more than $3 billion in gambling revenue. However, the deal was rejected by the Legislature as it included additional provisions for statewide gambling expansion.
In the meantime, the state filed a suit against the tribe, arguing that it should stop offering blackjack at its casinos. The Seminoles filed their own lawsuit against Florida, claiming that the state was negotiating a new gambling compact in ill-faith and had violated its monopoly over blackjack.
Following Wednesday’s ruling, the Seminole Tribe will be able to offer house-banked table games for the next 14 years or up until 2030 when its original compact with the state is due to expire. Florida has collected more than $1.7 billion from the Seminole Tribe over the blackjack exclusivity period.
The latest court ruling may pave the way for discussions over a new gambling compact. Jim Allen, CEO of the tribe’s gaming business, Seminole Gaming, said during the trial that they had had a good relationship with Florida and that they would be more than happy to continue that good relationship.
It is still unknown whether the state is going to appeal the Wednesday court decision. A spokesperson for Gov. Scott told media that state attorneys would review the ruling carefully before taking any further action.
The Seminole Tribe currently operates six casinos around Florida. Valued at approximately $2.4 billion, the state tribal gambling market is currently among the largest ones across the nation.
