Sports Betting Dispute: Ute Mountain Ute Tribe v. Colorado
Date: 2024-09-30 Author: Robert Beloved Categories: SPORTS BETTING
In Colorado, one of 38 U.S. states where sports betting is legal, local gambling offers a wide range of services both in retail and online. The market has grown significantly since its launch in 2020, but some tribal operators have yet to launch their services because the Colorado Department of Gaming has blocked their attempts.
The Southern Ute Tribe, in response to these circumstances, was forced to file a lawsuit against the state, naming Governor Jared Polis and local gaming officials as defendants. A recent report from CPR reported that the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe has joined the lawsuit.
The main issue the tribes face is the interpretation of a 1995 agreement between them and the state. The tribes argue that the agreement allows them to accept sports bets from across the state, as long as the necessary servers are located on their lands. However, the state argues that tribes can only accept bets from customers located on tribal lands.
The lawsuit filed by the Southern Ute Tribe and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe seeks a federal ruling that their practices comply with state gambling laws. If the court rules in favor of the tribes, it would allow them to offer sports betting statewide and limit the Colorado Department of Gaming’s interference in their operations.
The situation in Colorado is similar to a case that occurred in Florida, which involved a lawsuit over a gaming agreement between Florida and the Seminole Tribe that gave the tribe exclusive online betting rights across the state. The plaintiffs alleged that the agreement violated the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA). However, after years of litigation, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal of the case this summer, upholding the legality of the agreement.
The Ute Mountain Ute Tribe and the Southern Ute Tribe thus argue that they can offer legal betting throughout the state under the existing gaming agreement with Colorado. However, the case has not made much progress yet, and given the situation in Florida, it could be many years before the lawsuit is concluded.
