Seminole Tribe Sues DraftKings for Unlicensed Sports Betting

The Seminole Tribe of Florida filed a federal lawsuit Thursday in Broward County against DraftKings, accusing the company of operating an illegal, unlicensed sports gambling operation across the state.

The lawsuit alleges DraftKings bypasses state law by offering sports betting through its prediction markets and Pick6 products. Under the 2021 Florida Gaming Compact, the Seminole Tribe holds exclusive statewide sports wagering rights through its Hard Rock Bet platform until 2051.

The lawsuit asserts DraftKings operates without state-mandated consumer protections, including age verification, responsible gaming limits, and bans on specific college sports player props.

DraftKings defended its offerings, stating its prediction markets comply with federal regulations under the Commodity Exchange Act and that its Pick6 fantasy product is a peer-to-peer fantasy sports variant, not sports betting. A DraftKings spokesperson said the company respects the Seminole Tribe's sovereignty but remains confident in its legal position.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis commented Thursday, saying, "They were given the purview on the sports betting. I haven’t read the thing, I just heard about it this morning, but I think our agreement clearly contemplated that they would have the ability to run this in Florida."

The Seminole Tribe seeks a court order to block DraftKings from offering or advertising its prediction markets and Pick6 options in Florida. The Tribe also asks the court to compel DraftKings to surrender profits derived from its operations in the state, which the Tribe plans to allocate towards problem gambling and consumer protection initiatives.