A $36 million Mega Millions jackpot has gone unclaimed after the winner never showed up. The winning ticket was sold months ago but no one turned up to collect it.

According to Florida Lottery officials, the winning ticket was sold at a grocery store in Jacksonville. The customer, according to the lottery, had matched all six winning numbers for the August 15 drawing, including the Mega Ball.

For reference, the winning combination was 18, 39, 42, 57 and 63, plus a Mega Ball of 7. The game consists of 70 white numbered balls and 25 Mega Balls, making it very difficult to match all six numbers. Despite doing just that, the lucky client never showed up to claim the jackpot.

Under the rules of the Florida Lottery, all winnings should be redeemed within 180 days. In this case, the period within which the prize had to be redeemed ended on February 11.

Unclaimed Money Are Donated or Returned to the Lottery

Under normal circumstances, 80% of the unredeemed lottery money in Florida goes to the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund. The rest is returned to the lottery prize pool. However, since Mega Millions is an interstate game, the money will be split between the states where the Mega Millions game is available.

The money that will be sent back is $17.5 million since this is the actual cash value of the unclaimed jackpot. For reference, the customer could have claimed the $36 million instead if agreeing for the jackpot to be paid out in installments over a 30-year period.

In order to avoid unclaimed winnings, many lotteries across the US have introduced online safeguards, linking winnings to players’ accounts. However, retail tickets still carry certain risks, sometimes resulting in unclaimed prizes.

Speaking of jackpot games, Powerball and the DC Lottery are now facing a lawsuit over an alleged winning numbers error. This stems from a case where a Washington DC man was sure that he had won the Powerball prize but was later told that he didn’t hit the jackpot because of a mistake in the announced winning numbers.

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Three daily fantasy sports (DFS) operators in Florida recently received cease-and-desist letters, a newly released report suggests. The letters, Saturday Down South confirmed, were sent by the Florida Gaming Control Commission (FGCC) and received by PrizePicks, Betr and Underdog Fantasy, three operators that currently offer such activities to customers in the state.

Florida’s gambling regulator urged the three operators to discontinue their operations within 30 days of receiving the letter. According to the publication, the cease-and-desist letters were sent to the three operators on January 31, 2024. This otherwise means that the trio will have to discontinue their offering effective from March 1, 2024, to comply with the FGCC’s request.

According to the Commission, PrizePicks, Beter and Underdog Fantasy must stop “offering or accepting illegal bets or wagers from (Florida) residents,” and at the same time discontinue “any illegal lotteries.” The trio was notified by the Commission about the potential actions it may take against them if they fail to comply with the request.

The FGCC said that if the operators do not halt their offering within the aforementioned timeframe, they will be referred to the state’s Prosecution or a relevant state attorney. “If this cessation is completed within that timeframe, the Commission will deem the company and all its officials, directors, and employees have complied with the demands of the cease-and-desist order, and the Commission will not take further action, including referral to the Office of Statewide Prosecution or to any State Attorney,” explains the letter sent to PrizePicks, Betr and Underdog Fantasy.

The State Anticipates Changes to the DFS Sector

While the three operators received a letter from the Commission, other two who currently operate in Florida did not receive such correspondence. Reportedly, DraftKings and FanDuel, two leading betting and gaming companies that currently offer traditional DFS games did not receive a cease-and-desist letter from the FGCC.

The announcement comes at a time when a DFS bill is gaining traction in Florida. Two proposals are making their way into the state’s house, PCB COM 24-01 and PCB COM 24-02, with the first one calling for the establishment of DFS regulation. The latter proposes the implementation of license fees, applicable to DFS operators.

Currently, Hard Rock Bet is the only authorized sports betting operator in the state. After a prolonged legal battle, the sportsbook relaunched its services back in December.

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Last year, the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians, one of the federally recognized tribes in Florida, announced the start of the development of its newest venue, the Little Trail Casino located in Ochopee. After half a year of development, the Miccosukee Tribe confirmed that its new premium gaming location is expected to open its doors to visitors later this month.

The Little Trail Casino will hold its grand opening ceremony next week on February 14, 2024. The new casino is located on I-75, exit 49 and Snake Road and promises exceptional experiences for its visitors. Little Trail Casino is next to the Miccosukee Service Plaza and will offer some 8,500 square feet of entertainment space.

Talbert Cypress, the Tribe’s chairman, who was recently cited by Indian Gaming, revealed that the Miccosukee Tribe is thrilled to confirm the opening of the Little Trail Casino, an achievement that was completed in collaboration with gambling industry stakeholders and tribal members. “This marks an exhilarating start to our next phase, and we can’t wait to welcome everyone to this unique experience,” he added.

“We are excited to celebrate this significant milestone alongside our tribal members and numerous key stakeholders who have played a crucial role in our journey.“

Talbert Cypress, chairman of the Miccosukee Tribe

Little Trail Casino Visitors Can Expect Unrivaled Entertainment

Visitors at the Little Trail Casino can expect action-packed entertainment, fun and lucrative jackpots. The new premier casino location will offer 150 of the newest slot machines.

The non-smoking venue stands out with its elegant design, completed in collaboration with the leading architecture and engineering design firm, CPH. On the other hand, for the construction of the Little Trail Casino, the Tribe joined forces with 2 Brothers Contracting LLC, a Florida-based construction company.

Ochopee’s new casino will be open seven days a week. The working hours for the Little Trail Casino are between 8 AM and 12 AM. Besides a gaming floor, the casino will feature additional amenities such as a bar that will offer a wide range of wines and beers.

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The Florida House of Representatives has taken a significant step in combating illegal gambling operations within the state by advancing a bill aimed at cracking down on such activities. However, despite its progress, concerns linger regarding potential unintended consequences and the clarity of certain provisions.

Rep. Michelle Salzman’s Bill Advances in Florida House Despite Concerns

House Bill 189, sponsored by Rep. Michelle Salzman, garnered approval from the House Appropriations Committee following a thorough debate that highlighted various concerns, reported media outlet Florida Politics. 

One major issue raised during the discussion was the possibility of inadvertently ensnaring unsuspecting individuals, particularly night managers, into legal trouble due to the broad language of the bill.

The proposed legislation seeks to impose harsher penalties for operating illegal gambling establishments, including those housing unauthorized slot machines. Additionally, it aims to deter such activities by prohibiting the advertising of unlicensed betting venues. 

Rep. Salzman emphasized the importance of protecting consumers from the dangers of unregulated gambling, citing its links to illicit trades such as drug trafficking and human exploitation.

While the bill received committee approval, several members expressed reservations about its potential ramifications. Rep. Dan Daley, Christopher Benjamin, Mike Gottlieb, and Patricia Williams raised concerns ranging from the broad scope of the language to the potential impact on unwitting individuals, such as low-level managers, who may not be aware of violations occurring on the premises they oversee.

Rep. Salzman Defends Controversial Bill Amidst Criticism Over Unintended Consequences

In response to these concerns, Rep. Salzman defended the bill, highlighting provisions intended to protect managers who are unaware of illegal activities taking place under their supervision. However, critics argued that despite potential legal defenses, the mere accusation of involvement in illegal gambling could have severe repercussions for individuals, affecting their future prospects and reputations.

Representatives of the amusement machine industry echoed these concerns, emphasizing the potential strain on local resources resulting from legal disputes arising from unintentional violations. Jonathan Zachem, representing the Amusement Machine Association of Florida, warned against the detrimental effects on small-scale operators caught in the crossfire of enforcement efforts.

Despite opposition, supporters of the bill argue that enhanced penalties and stricter enforcement are necessary to curb illicit gambling practices. Rep. Randy Fine emphasized the importance of maintaining regulatory oversight to prevent the proliferation of unregulated gambling activities.

As the bill progresses through the legislative process, it faces further scrutiny and deliberation. With similar legislation progressing in the Senate, the issue of illegal gambling remains a focal point of legislative action in Florida.

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West Flagler and Associates continues its battle over the future of sports betting in Florida. The firm will now try to involve the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) in hopes of preventing the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s attempt to dominate and expand the betting market.

Florida legalized sports betting for a while but the vertical was quickly put on hold as the state became the battleground for a huge conflict between casino companies and the Seminole Tribe. Florida legalized sports betting on November 1, 2021, but had to shut down the market on December 4 that same year. Various parties in the state have been involved in this legal battle ever since.

A contract with Gov. Ron DeSantis provided the Seminole Tribe with the exclusive right to operate sports betting, to the casino operators’ dismay.

Operators have since alleged that the contract is unconstitutional since it didn’t secure voter approval. In addition, casino companies have pointed out that tribal operators shouldn’t be able to operate outside of tribal lands, in accordance with Florida’s laws.

West Flagler and Associates has been trying to reverse the DC Circuit Court of Appeal’s mandate. Recently, it tried to request a stay motion but its appeal was rejected by the DC Circuit Court.

Left with few other options, West Flagler has now launched a petition to take the case to the SCOTUS.

The Fight Goes On

It is not certain whether the SCOTUS will hear West Flagler and Associates’ case. This means that the matter may continue to drag on as everyone anticipates the SCOTUS’ decision.

In any case, the launch of this petition is set to prevent the Seminole Tribe from launching its Hard Rock Bet brand.

Bullish on preventing the tribe’s betting expansion, West Flagler has also filed a constitutional challenge against the Florida Governor. According to the firm, the Governor should not have expanded the state’s gambling industry without a public vote.

West Flagger alleges that the tribe’s betting operations undermine the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) and possibly breach the state’s rules, which prevent tribal gaming outside of tribal lands. The firm also noted that the measure that allows the Seminole tribe to expand its betting operations may violate the Equal Protection Clause since it provides the tribe with a statewide monopoly over the vertical.

For reference, casino operators in the Sunshine State lost their federal case before a three-judge panel earlier this year. However, West Flagler eventually rekindled the fight.

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Despite legalizing and launching sports betting for a brief period, the activity remains on hold in Florida, at least for the moment. A prime reason for that is the ongoing legal battle by the state’s casinos with a contract inked by Gov. Ron DeSantis with the Seminole Tribe of Florida. Casinos alleged that the gambling compact was in violation of federal law.

Now, the latest part of the ongoing legal saga involves a petition filed by West Flagler Associates in the Florida Supreme Court. The petition, filed Monday, alleges that the gambling compact requires changes to the state’s constitution. This is because currently, tribal operators cannot offer gaming services outside of tribal lands.

Moreover, the petition explained that the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act is applicable for gaming activities offered exclusively “on Indian lands.” The legal document also claimed that the gambling compact signed in 2021 granted the Tribe a “monopoly to conduct off-reservation sports betting throughout the state of Florida without voter approval as required.”

Additionally, the petition reiterates West Flagler’s position that the Governor exceeded his authority when signing the gambling compact with the Seminole Tribe that ultimately granted it exclusive rights for in-person and online sports betting throughout the entire state.

“The 2021 Compact and Implementing Law are a clear expansion of casino gambling in Florida without a voter-approved constitutional amendment by citizens’ initiative, as required by Article X, Section 30. In so doing, the Respondents have exceeded their authority in direct violation of the Florida Constitution,“

reads the recently filed petition with the Florida Supreme Court

Legal Hurdle Continues

The ongoing legal battle continues to impact sports betting in the state which is currently on hold. Earlier this year, in June, the casinos in the state lost their federal case before a three-judge panel. Then, in August, West Flagler hinted at plans for an en banc hearing of its case. This process is different than a standard hearing or rehearing as it is before a majority of active service judges rather than the standard three-judge panel.

In 2021, Florida legalized sports betting. Thanks to the gambling compact that is currently involved in the legal hurdle, the state launched legal sports betting on November 1, 2021. Residents of Florida did not have a chance to enjoy sports betting for long as on December 4, 2021, a court ruled that the gambling compact was in violation of federal law. As a result, legal sports betting was put on hold while the legal battle continues.

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The Florida sports betting case has taken another turn as the Department of the Interior (DOI) objects to West Flagler and Associates’ request for a stay in the DC Circuit Court of Appeals mandate. The court’s decision, which favored the DOI and the Seminole Tribe of Florida, did little to reduce tensions as both sides remained firm in their resolve. 

The Legal Battle Carries On

The heart of the dispute revolves around Florida’s agreement with the Seminole Tribe to offer Hard Rock Bet to Florida residents, specifically off-state lands. While West Flagler has the right to question the nature of this agreement, the DOI asserts that it need not be involved in this matter. Instead, it maintains that this issue is for the state of Florida and state courts to decide.

West Flagler has until 2 October to respond to the DOI’s filings. Subsequently, the court will need to issue a ruling on the stay. If the request gets denied, it could eventually pave the way for the launch of Hard Rock Bet in Florida. The DOI was adamant that the current court ruling was valid, as it clarified a narrow section in one particular Compact under IGRA.

A stay is not warranted because any such petition could present no substantial question for Supreme Court review.

DOI statement

West Flagler has also expressed its intent to petition for a writ of certiorari. The group has until 11 December to file its petition. Following this action, the DOI and the Seminole Tribe will have 30 days to respond before the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) decides whether to hear the case.

The Future of Florida Sports Betting Hangs in the Balance

The Court of Appeals’ decision will likely decide the future of sports betting in Florida. The Seminole Tribe has reaffirmed that it plans to resume the wagering offering via the Hard Rock brand but cannot proceed without clearing the current legal hurdle. While the case has stretched for months, West Flagler is running out of avenues to contest the court decision, meaning the saga may be nearing its conclusion.

The Seminole Tribe currently holds a 30-year agreement with the state of Florida, granting it a monopoly on all sports betting. The agreement also required the tribe to pay the state a minimum of $2.5 billion over the first five years of the deal. However, the current legal proceedings have put all plans on hold. 

The outcome of this legal battle will have significant implications for the future of sports betting in Florida and provide further clarity on the application of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. While the current situation favors the Seminole Tribe, both sides await the court’s decision on the stay request, as this case’s ultimate resolution remains uncertain.

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Sports betting has been on hold in Florida for a few years now and there’s no indication when it will be relaunched. After the state signed a gambling compact with the Seminole Tribe, stakeholders within the sector, including West Flagler Associates, challenged that decision, claiming it was in breach of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA). This ultimately resulted in a legal battle that continues to unravel.

On Thursday, the US Department of the Interior (DOI), criticized West Flagler’s petition for a rehearing en banc on the sports betting case, claiming that the request was “unwarranted.” The latest episode of the legal fight comes after mid-August, West Flagler filed for an en banc hearing of its case. This rare occurrence is actually a rehearing of a court case with the DC Circuit Court of Appeals.

However, what’s different with en banc rehearings is that they are held before a majority of judges on active service, rather than the usual panel consisting of three judges. The DOI described its case in a 25-page response, criticizing West Flagler’s rehearing request for the sports betting compact in Florida.

The DOI wrote: “West Flagler’s arguments for rehearing are strawmen, premised on its erroneous assertion that, by referencing the state-sanctioned wagers, the Compact — and the Secretary’s approval thereof — purport to unilaterally legalize the placement of those wagers and the State regime for regulating them.” The lengthy response adds: “But, as West Flagler acknowledges, the panel held in no uncertain terms that the compact does not do that. And the panel did so while making scrupulously clear that neither its opinion nor the Secretary’s approval prevents West Flagler from challenging the relevant State law in Florida’s courts.”

Legal Battle for Sports Betting Continues

In light of the current circumstances, sports betting remains on hold in Florida, and it is yet to be confirmed when the activity will be able to resume. The Seminole Tribe previously said it plans to resume the betting offering via the Hard Rock brand, but the legal hurdle needs to be cleared before this can happen.

Next week marks the start of the new National Football League (NFL) season. By the look of it, residents of Florida will have to wait further before they can place wagers on the NFL. After legalizing the activity in 2021, Florida launched it briefly for a month before it was put on hold on December 4, 2021.

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Mega Millions is one of the most popular lottery games in the United States. Tickets for the game are sold in 45 states, as well as the US Virgin Islands and Washington DC and drawings take place on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Earlier this month, the highest jackpot from Mega Millions, a staggering $1.6 billion was won in Florida from the drawing on August 8, 2023. Now, in less than a week after the whopping billion-dollar jackpot was won, another Florida resident hit the jackpot of the game.

The lucky lottery player guessed correctly all white balls, 18, 39, 42, 57, 63 and the Mega Ball, 7, from the drawing on Tuesday, August 15, 2023. As a result, the lucky player secured an estimated jackpot of $36 million or $18.6 million in cash. While that’s far from the mouth-watering billion-dollar win from last week, undoubtedly, $36 million is a life-changing sum.

The winning ticket of the latest Mega Millions jackpot was sold at Publix, located at 4495 Roosevelt Boulevard in Jacksonville, Florida. By selling the winning ticket, the lottery retailer received a $25,000 commission bonus, the lottery reveals.

There were more than 550,000 winning tickets within all prize tiers from the latest Mega Millions drawing. One lucky winner from New Jersey guessed correctly all white balls and secured a second-tier prize of $1 million. On the other hand, 10 winners guessed correctly the four white balls and the Mega Ball. Nine of them collected a $10,000 prize each, while one paid an extra $1 for a Megaplier, which resulted in a $30,000 prize.

Some 282 lucky lottery players guessed correctly four of the white balls from the Tuesday drawing. While the majority of those winners collected a $500 prize each, 58 of them paid an extra $1 for the Megaplier which granted them a $1,500 prize each.

The Game’s Jackpot Goes Back to $20M

The recent jackpots hit in Florida come after two jackpots dropped in New York state back in April. At the beginning of the month, on April 14, 2023, a lucky lottery player from New York hit the $483 million jackpot. Then, days later, on April 18, 2023, another lucky New York state resident hit the $20 million grand prize from Mega Millions.

Considering the latest win from Florida, the game’s jackpot was once again reset to $20 million or an estimated $9.6 million if the cash option is selected. The next Mega Millions drawing is set for Friday, August 18, 2023, at 11 PM ET.

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An error by a federal judge soon after sportsbooks launched in Florida lawmakers on the budget committee along with recipients of state funding as well as Gov. Ron DeSantis have scored a rather large victory in court – worth at least $2.5 billion and as much as $6b by some estimates.

A three-judge panel on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals has rejected a challenge to the 2021 state/tribal gaming compact in Florida that authorized the Seminole Tribe there to offer mobile sports betting. The practice was banned soon after books opened for business in 2021 and online sports betting in the state has been deemed in violation of the law since that time.

Sports Betting Could Open Back Up in Florida Right Away

However, that could change at any time with the new ruling. Sportsbetting could return to Florida virtually overnight.

In a nutshell, the judges decided that any conflict with the opposing party needed to be settled under state law as none of the assertions made actually had anything to do with federal law. So, while it may appear to be a landmark decision, it was really more of a venue correction than anything else in the final analysis and an appeal by the plaintiffs could send the industry right back into a death spiral at any time with a challenge to the decision and an injunction.

The Seminole Tribe applauded the decision but stopped short of saying it would resume sports betting right away.

A lawyer representing the casinos that had challenged the compact pointed out what the plaintiff side saw as nonsensical – according to Hamish Hume, the court had somehow “recognized” that federal gambling laws “cannot authorize gambling off of Indian lands, but then upheld a compact that purports on its face to do exactly that.”

The legal counsel stated, “We respectfully disagree with that decision, and are evaluating our possible next steps.”

The federal appeals court’s reversal of a lower court judge’s order was personally and politically important for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis because he personally lobbied lawmakers to pass the compact in 2021.

A spokesman for the governor stated: “While we are not surprised the lower court’s perplexing ruling was unanimously overturned, this is great news for Florida,” Mahon said in an email to Politico. “We will continue working with the Seminole Tribe of Florida to ensure the success of this historic compact — the largest gaming compact in US history.”

A spokesman for the Seminole Tribe said of the most recent decision: “The Seminole Tribe of Florida is pleased with today’s unanimous decision. It is a positive outcome for the Seminole Tribe and the people of Florida and for all of Indian Country. The Tribe is fully reviewing the decision to determine its next steps.”

New Compact Also Authorizes Table Games

In addition to authorizing sports betting the “new compact” also allowed the tribe to offer table games such as craps and roulette to its existing slots casinos and to build at least one more casino on its reservation the Hollywood area which already has a Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

In the ruling that blocked implementation of the compact, D.C. District Judge Dabney Friedrich decided the compact was beyond what the laws allowed because it let people place sports bets anywhere in the state – which could be a violation of federal law that govern gambling on Tribal lands.

The impetus of the adverse decision was a pair of lawsuits brought by an anti-gambling group active in Florida, another that focuses primarily on the southern part of the state and casino competitors. Plaintiffs had sued U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, who didn’t block the compact but instead took no action and allowed it to automatically come into effect after some time as prescribed by law.

The erring judge also determined that it would take a new citizens’ initiative to authorize sports betting under the premise that voters passed a law in 2018 that required any expansion of casino gambling without a citizen’s initiative – that law was supported by both Disney Corp and the Tribe.

The Tribe and DeSantis relied on the legal theory that bets processed on servers physically situated on tribal lands were indeed placed “on the Reservation”. The Trump-appointed judge called that a “fiction” and stated that: “When a federal statute authorizes an activity only at specific locations, parties may not evade that limitation by ‘deeming’ their activity to occur where it, as a factual matter, does not.”

The panel of D.C. appeals court judges in essence said that neither argument mattered in this instance: “Whether it is otherwise lawful for a patron to place bets from non-tribal land within Florida may be a question for that State’s courts, but it is not the subject of this litigation and not for us to decide.”

“We hold only that the Secretary’s decision not to act on the Compact was consistent with <federal law>,” wrote Wilkins who added, “We express no opinion as to whether the Florida statute ratifying the compact is constitutional” under Florida law.

The balance of arguments raised by the litigants against the legality of the compact was also summarily dismissed as a ‘matter for state courts to decide’.

Source: DeSantis scores big legal win upholding $2.5B gambling deal with Florida tribe, Politico, June 30, 2023

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