Seminole Tribe claims victory in Florida betting lobbying war
Hard Rock Digital parent airs ‘Thank You’ public address advert paying tribute to voters for not signing out-of-state backed lobbying initiatives
The Seminole Tribe has paid tribute to Floridian voters for choosing not to support out-of-state backed petition initiatives aimed at widening sports betting in the Sunshine State.
In a 30-second TV spot entitled simply “Thank You”, the Native American tribe celebrates its roots in Florida and thanks both the people and those who “worked overtime” to preserve the security of elections in the state and state voters.
Despite spending over $100 million, the outside gaming petitions fell short,” the advert states.
“Because the partnership between the Tribe and Floridians is stronger than ever. A message of gratitude,” the TV spot closes.
Florida has been the subject of furious political campaigning over the last six months, with rival initiatives competing to obtain the number of voters, as required under Florida’s constitution, to have their respective legislator changes included on a November 2022 ballot.
DraftKings and FanDuel, acting jointly, financed the Florida Education Champions (FEC) initiative, spending a combined $37m in contributions over its seven-month lifespan.
However, at the end of January, FEC had secured just 492,000 signatures from Floridians, just half of the required 900,000 to advance to the next stage for consideration on the ballot.
Las Vegas Sands (LVS) has also contributed heavily to its own campaign to widen igaming and casino legislation beyond the Seminoles, which operate on an exclusive basis.
The remarks regarding preserving Florida’s elections are a thinly veiled reference to the ongoing furore surrounding alleged illegal petition-gathering activities in Florida by a number of political groups, claims of which are still being examined by state legislators.
For its part, the tribe has not been immune to these allegations, with POLITICO suggesting the Seminoles instituted an active ‘blocking’ campaign to prevent rivals from gaining a foothold in the Sunshine State in December 2021, claims which it has denied.
The Las Vegas Sands-backed lobbying campaign “Florida Voters In Charge” filed a lawsuit in the state over alleged impropriety in the Seminoles petition gathering activities.
In January, the Seminoles fired back against LVS, launching its own countersuit and airing a number of high-profile TV spots in the state calling on voters to “Stand up for Florida” and eschew lobbying efforts.
Allegations of fraud against LVS are still being looked at by the Florida Attorney General’s office.
Despite the FEC campaign ultimately losing out in the petition race, DraftKings CEO Jason Robins recently suggested he would look to springboard a petition return as part of the November 2024 elections.
“We are exploring all options to ensure that Floridians get that opportunity as soon as possible. And if we were to refile, we are very confident that, given the extended time frame, we will be able to qualify for the 2024 ballot,” Robins told investors in February.