Seminole Tribe sues DraftKings over alleged illegal sports betting

The Seminole Tribe of Florida is suing sports betting company DraftKings, alleging it is violating state law by running an illegal gambling operation.

“DraftKings has joined the disreputable ranks of other criminal organizations running illegal sportsbooks in the State of Florida in violation of Florida law and in derogation of the Tribe’s rights under the Compact,” the lawsuit reads, referring to the 2021 Gaming Compact agreement between the state and the tribe, giving it the exclusive right to offer sports betting.

The 72-page lawsuit alleges that DraftKings, under the direction of CEO Jason Robins, aggressively went after the Florida sports betting market, funding lawsuits and political action groups in an attempt to change the state’s gambling laws.

When efforts were unsuccessful, the company continued its illegal gambling operation anyway, the lawsuit claims.

“Every dollar a Floridian wagers with DraftKings is a dollar diverted from Florida’s regulated market, thus depriving Floridians of revenue that would otherwise fund schools, environmental and water-management programs, local governments, and law enforcement,” the lawsuit states.

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