WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — It's game on, Florida. Hard Rock launched its Sportsbook app Monday.
The Palm Beach Kennel Club is one of five parimutuel facilities that partnered with Florida's Seminole Tribe on sports betting.
"They're going to do some beta testing on this thing for the next few days, make sure everything is working the way it's supposed to, (that) there's no kinks or any technical difficulties with it," Palm Beach Kennel Club President Pat Rooney said.
Once that's done, Rooney said, each partner facility will have its own app.
"You click on the Palm Beach Kennel Club app that's powered by or driven by Hard Rock and then we would get credit for that," he said. "We get 60% of that bet and the Seminoles get 40%."
But the app's launch does not mean an end to the legal challenges. A hearing in federal court is set for later this week.
John Sowinski is with the group "No Casinos," he said. His organization believes legalizing sports betting statewide violates federal laws and Amendment 3.
"Voters approved Amendment 3 on the ballot in 2018 with over 71% of the vote," he said. "That gives the voters, not politicians in Tallahassee and Washington, the final say."
This spring, Gov. Ron DeSantis reached a gambling deal with the Seminole Tribe. The deal that was then approved by state legislators.
Sowinski said the compact allows for betting on not only a single game but also every single play.
"This is in-play betting where people are betting on everything from, is the next play or next series of drives going to start with a hand off or a pass? Or how many interceptions is the quarterback going to throw or how many touchdowns is he going to throw?" he said.
The people WPTV spoke with said they're not opposed.
"If people want to spend their money, they should spend their money on gambling if they want to," Hannah Reed said.
Cooper Cruz believes the tribes have a right to decide.
"I believe in the Seminole Tribe and any indigenous tribes having the right to exercise their freedom," he said.
Sowinski believes this sports betting thing will be short-lived, while Rooney doesn't believe a judge would halt something that's already in motion.
WPTV contacted a representative for the Seminole Hard Rock but has not heard back.
