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Palm Beach Kennel Club and four other pari-mutuel facilities have partnered with the Seminole Tribe of Florida in efforts to introduce sports betting across the state.
The agreement, by which the facilities will market the Hard Rock Sportsbook to their customers, is a component of the Gaming Compact, set to be a major expansion of gambling in Florida signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis and Seminole Tribe Chairman Marcellus Osceola Jr. in April and approved by state lawmakers the following month. The Seminole Tribe owns Hard Rock International.
The Hard Rock Sportsbook posits itself as “the only safe, legal sportsbook in Florida,” where gamblers can bet at any of the affiliated betting locations or online anywhere in the state. The brand’s sportsbook is offered in New Jersey and Iowa, and has plans to expand to Indiana.
When will sports betting begin in Florida?
It was unclear when sports betting will begin in the Sunshine State. The social media biography for the Hard Rock Sportsbook Twitter account states, “coming to Florida this fall.”
More: Could Florida’s gambling deal lead to big-time casinos? Will Palm Beach Kennel Club remain?
The other partnering pari-mutuel facilities are Hialeah Park Casino; Ocala Gainesville Poker and Ocala Breeder’s Sale Company; and two Tampa locations at Tampa Bay Downs and TGT Poker & Racebook. The Seminole Tribe is expected to partner with more facilities in the future, said Jim Allen, CEO of Seminole Gaming and chairman of Hard Rock International.
The pari-mutuel facilities are poised to reap 60% of the profits from marketing efforts.
Gamblers can place bets at these facilities, at home or wherever they have an internet connection, said Palm Beach Kennel Club President Pat Rooney Jr. If a customer goes to their track to place a bet, a staff member will help them go through the steps on their phone or tablet.
For the Palm Beach Kennel Club to earn revenue through this partnership, the gambler will first go to the club’s website, then navigate to a link to the Hard Rock Sportsbooks website, sign up, place a bet, “and then you’re off and running,” Rooney said. The club will “get credit for that bet, per the contract,” he added.
What are the upgrade plans for the Palm Beach Kennel Club?
While gamblers don’t have to be physically in at the track to place bets, the West Palm Beach club is working on some upgrades to create a Las Vegas-type atmosphere, Rooney said.
“Even though you’re betting on your phone, you’re there amidst other people who are enjoying the games and yelling and screaming at the TVs,” Rooney said. “The atmosphere at the track, you can’t get that at home.”
The partnership undoubtedly will reinvigorate the Palm Beach Kennel Club, which had conducted greyhound racing for 88 years until a voter referendum prohibited the practice starting this year. At the end, dog races accounted for a little less than half of the club’s revenue, Rooney said.
More: Palm Beach Kennel Club set to bid farewell to live greyhound racing
More: Photos: Last Day of Greyhound Racing at Palm Beach Kennel Club
Although the club continues to offer poker and simulcasts of greyhound and horse races, as well as Jai Alai, many customers believed the end of greyhound racing meant the club would close, too, Rooney said. To draw back the crowds, they started “doing things at the track outside of our comfort zone,” like hosting car shows, comedy shows and mutt derbies.
But with the prospect of sports betting attracting a younger audience, Rooney hopes it will make up for the loss of greyhound racing.
“I think if this is done right, and I think we’re on that path, that should certainly give us quite a boost at the track,” he said.
The club’s website on Friday welcomed visitors signing up for email updates to get news about PBKC Sports Betting.
“We’re just standing by at the ready,” Rooney said. “Whenever they give the green light, we’re ready to go.”
DeSantis lauded the “creative partnership” in the news release, saying that it will “increase access to safe and transparent sports betting in Florida.”
The state is expected to receive at least $2.5 billion over the next five years as part of the Gaming Compact. The Seminole Tribe gave Florida its first revenue sharing contribution of $37 million in October.
The compact was “deemed approved” by federal law in August after the U.S. Department of Interior took no action to approve or disapprove it within 45 days. Two separate lawsuits have been filed against the department over the compact.
Hannah Morse is a reporter covering Palm Beach County. She can be reached at hmorse@pbpost.com or 561-820-4833. Follow her on Twitter at @mannahhorse.
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