Calling all sports fans!
Do you like gambling and placing bets on your favorite sports teams?
Well, a lot has changed in the past year when it comes to betting and the rules surrounding it.
Alex Tonievich, 34, spends his days buying and selling sports and concert tickets.
“I went to a concert and realized I could sell them for more, so I just kept selling them,” said Toniewicz, who enjoys taking risks to make money and whose Instagram page, @WeGamblin, chronicles his love of casinos.
But he also has a passion for sports and was an avid Florida sports fan from a young age.
“I believe in being responsible when I bet on games and sports. I don’t go overboard with my bets. I just need a little gamble to get that adrenaline rush,” he said from his home in Miami.
“I don’t like baseball, so if I’m forced to watch a game, I might bet on the team I want to root for, and it makes the game more interesting.”
But the way Alex bets has changed. Over a decade ago, when he lived in New York, there was only one way to bet.
“You hear about bookies from a friend who has a website. You just tell them through their website or through your friend that you want to bet on this game or whatever, and they take your bet. And they pay you out every week, win or lose.”
Now, things are very different in Florida.
Things have changed
You may have seen a promotion for the Seminole Tribe’s app, “Hard Rock Bet.”
It is the only sports betting app available in the state that allows users to bet on the outcomes of professional and collegiate sporting events, or on the performance of individual athletes.
If you live in Florida and want to place sports bets, your only options are to use the Hard Rock Bet app or go in person to one of the six Seminole Hard Rock Casinos.
“While that may be true and there may be a few other facilities and race tracks that are affiliated with the Seminole Tribe, you’re actually placing your bets through the Seminole Tribe’s website, not the race track’s website,” said Daniel Wallach of Wallach Legal, a law firm that specializes in sports betting.
But why are Native American tribes the only legitimate avenue?
Let’s take a quick history lesson.
In 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the federal ban on state-sanctioned sports betting. In 2021, Governor Ron DeSantis entered into a gaming compact with the Seminole Tribe, granting the tribe a complete exclusivity for sports betting in the state.
But some people didn’t like it.
West Flagler Associates, which owns two other gambling facilities, has filed a lawsuit to overturn the gambling agreement and ban sports betting until 2023.
At that time, the court overturned the ruling.
And now the Seminole Tribe has reinstated a gaming compact that runs through 2051.
“And until that day, the Seminole Tribe will have complete control over sports betting throughout the state,” Wallach said, explaining that this will make the market less competitive and affect odds, prices and promotions.
While he believes the status quo will continue for some time, he also believes a more diverse market could come about in a number of ways.
One is that West Flagler will return to court.
“Their argument is that granting a monopoly to Native American tribes to the exclusion of non-gaming parties violates the equal protection rights of all other non-tribal parties, who are excluded solely because they are not Native American.”
Another option would be for Florida betting shops to use the ballot initiative process.
But sports bettors like Alex don’t think big changes are needed.
“It’s a pretty streamlined process right now. Right now, they may offer in-stadium betting, like Dolphins Stadium for example, and you can bet live at the window and so on.”
Gambling addiction
Alex says the biggest difference he’s noticed in the world of sports betting is that it’s now open to the general public. “Everybody’s betting on everything.”
“Gambling has become much more accessible to people, which I think is both a good thing and a bad thing, because some people just can’t control themselves. They’re gambling money that they probably shouldn’t be gambling.”
According to the Florida Council on Problem Gambling, about 2.1 percent of Floridians have a gambling problem. 90 percent of those who call are men, and 54 percent are under the age of 30.
“Their lifetime losses were much higher than their income, reported at about $147,000, while their income was about $105,000,” said Jennifer Cruz, executive director of the Florida Council on Problem Gambling.
“So while men make more money, they also often lose more money and I think that’s down to the level of skill that some people think is involved in sports betting. They think they know the players and teams better and can predict the outcomes better than with traditional gambling, like playing slot machines. So they have unrealistic beliefs and expectations about what they’ll win and their odds of winning.”
She says the consequences for those who don’t quit are severe.
“Money can affect your finances. Money is the drug that fuels addiction, and you need money to keep acting out, so often times people drain their finances,” Cruz explains.
That’s why helplines exist to assist those who are prompted to continue betting.
The good news, according to Jennifer, is that the majority of the population bets recreationally.
That’s Alex, and he bets around $500 to $1,000 depending on the sport.
He said he’s made money on some games and lost money on others, but for the average person like him, it’s all about having fun.
“People just bet for fun. If you’re at a party and everyone’s betting on one side or the other, you want to root with your friends. Plus, money won is better than money earned.”
To operate the Hard Rock Bet app, you will need to log in and fund your account.
You will then be shown all the sporting events you can bet on. If there is a match that interests you, click on it, enter the amount you want to bet on and submit.
The app geotags your location so you can only bet within the state of Florida.
If you believe you or a loved one may have a gambling problem, please call our hotline at 888-ADMIT IT.