- Details
- By Brian Edwards
- Gaming
The Seminole Tribe of Florida sued DraftKings and CEO Jason Robins on Oct. 8, seeking to shut down products it alleges constitute illegal sports betting and divert revenue from its gaming operations and government services.
The 72-page complaint, filed in Broward County Circuit Court, also names GUS III LLC, which operates as DraftKings Predictions. It challenges the company’s Pick6 fantasy contests and sports offerings through its DraftKings Sports & Casino app.
The tribe holds exclusive rights to offer online sports betting in Florida through its 2021 gaming compact with the state. In exchange for exclusive gaming rights, it committed to pay Florida at least $2.5 billion over the compact’s first five years, according to the complaint.
“Every wager that Defendants now accept through their illegal sportsbook siphons away revenue that funds both the Tribe’s and Florida’s public programs and government services; diverts betting from Florida’s regulated system into an underground, unregulated, and outlawed book; and deprives the Floridian who places such a bet of the consumer protections guaranteed by Florida law,” the complaint states.
The lawsuit alleges DraftKings’ Florida products replicate a licensed sportsbook, offering wagers on game outcomes, point spreads, player performances and parlays. Calling those transactions prediction markets or fantasy contests does not change their function, the tribe argues.
The complaint also alleges DraftKings accepts customers ages 18 to 20, below Florida’s minimum sports betting age of 21, and offers college player proposition bets prohibited under the compact.
Claims include unfair competition, deceptive trade practices and a civil racketeering claim against Robins, whom the tribe accuses of directing the Florida operations.
The tribe seeks an injunction and recovery of revenue and profits from the defendants’ Florida operations. It says it would prioritize recovered funds for consumer protection and problem gambling programs.
DraftKings disputed the allegations in a statement reported by the Tampa Bay Times. The company said its prediction markets comply with applicable law and described Pick6 as peer-to-peer fantasy sports rather than sports betting.
“While the company has deep respect for Seminole Tribe’s sovereignty, we remain confident in our legal position,” DraftKings told the newspaper.
