U.S. Supreme Court won't hear Florida sports betting case

Catch up quick: The Seminole Tribe of Florida launched sports betting at its casinos and on the Hard Rock Bet mobile app late last year after a two-year delay due to legal challenges.

• Casino operators West Flagler Associates and the Bonita-Fort Myers Corp. have argued in a series of lawsuits that a 2021 deal the Seminole Tribe struck with Florida violated federal law.
• The deal hinges on the idea that online bets take place on tribal land if that's where the servers are stationed, according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

The big picture: Opponents of the gaming deal can still file another challenge over equal protection, but that wouldn't stop online betting in the short term, per the Sentinel.

What they're saying: "The Seminole Tribe of Florida applauds today's decision," a spokesperson for the Tribe said in a statement.

Zoom out: The U.S. Supreme Court's refusal could encourage states like New Mexico, Washington and others to model Florida's deal and allow tribes to accept online bets.

• The decision could also "open the door for iGaming, or online casinos, in a number of states," the Sentinel writes.