Sports betting in Florida has been dealt a major blow.
A federal judge’s late-night decision Monday halted sports betting statewide.
In an agreement earlier this year, the Seminole Tribe said it would pay the state of Florida $2.5 billion in exchange for control over sports betting.
But the judge determined that the agreement -- known as the Seminole Compact -- violated the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), because it allowed betting to occur outside tribal lands.
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The judge’s decision also blocks the Seminole Tribe’s Hard Rock Casinos from further expansion in Florida.
Read the ruling below:
The Seminole Tribe and the state are expected to appeal the ruling.