The Federal Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has turned down a plea from the Seminole Tribe to postpone the enforcement of a ruling against the tribe.
The Seminole Tribe had submitted the plea last week, and the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) opposed it earlier this week (September 26).
The Seminole Tribe’s plea was their most recent effort to prevent the tribe from launching Hard Rock Bet in Florida. In May 2021, the Seminole Tribe was granted the sole right to offer sports betting in Florida. This followed Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ approval of an accord with the tribe.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit rejected the plea yesterday (September 28).
“Upon consideration of the motion of the appellees for a postponement of the judgment pending resolution of the petition for certiorari in the Supreme Court or otherwise, and the opposition thereto, it is hereby ordered that the motion is denied,” the document states.
Tribal representative Gary Bitner stated the ruling would not alter any of the tribe’s immediate plans.
“This is a favorable development, but it will not have any immediate effect on the Seminole Tribe’s plans,” Bitner stated.
What does this signify for the Seminole Tribe?
The Seminole Nation has had a lengthy and complex history with itself, marked by periods of both progress and setbacks. This week, however, events have taken an especially intriguing turn.
Shortly after the Department of the Interior expressed its dissent, the Seminole Nation initiated legal action against DeSantis and the Florida legislative body. The Nation asserts that DeSantis and the state legislature overstepped their bounds in enacting the accord.
The conflict between the Seminole Nation and the Seminole Nation originated when the Nation suffered a legal defeat in June against Debra Haaland, the Secretary of the Interior, and Bonita Springs.
The Seminole Nation sought a reconsideration in August, but their plea was rejected.
This setback overturned a ruling issued in November 2021 by a judge in Washington, D.C. The ruling had prevented the Seminole Nation from offering sports wagering in Florida. The judge determined that the agreement between the Nation and Florida violated the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA).
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