Sports betting starts next month in Florida
WEST PALM BEACH, FL/CBS12 — Legalized sports betting is scheduled to start next month in Florida. The Palm Beach Kennel Club in West Palm Beach is getting ready, installing dozens of large flat-screen televisions and several projection screens in the Paddock Restaurant so fans can watch various sporting events going on simultaneously.
The facility also plans to hire as many as 250 additional people, both full-time and part-time employees.
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The Palm Beach Kennel Club opened in 1932.
Greyhound racing ended last December in Florida and the Kennel Club hopes sports betting will help replace some of the business it lost due to the ban on greyhound racing approved by voters.
Patrons will be allowed to bet on professional and college sports such as football, basketball, baseball, and hockey.
Joseph Rooney, Palm Beach Kennel Club Vice-President says there are a couple of legal challenges filed by opponents of sports betting in Florida. One at the federal level and one at the state level.
But he's hopeful they'll still be allowed to offer sports betting, starting October 15, even if the court challenges have not been resolved by that date.
"We're really excited about it. Obviously, our goal is to be able to allow our business to evolve into giving customers what they would like to have," Rooney said.
