FAU Expert: Online Sports Betting Could Change Florida Sports Industry
The arrival of online sports betting in Florida is likely to have far-reaching effects on the sports industry and tourism in the state, according to a sports expert at Florida Atlantic University.
The arrival of online sports betting in Florida is likely to have far-reaching effects on the sports industry and tourism in the state, according to a sports expert at Florida Atlantic University.
The Hard Rock Bet app could lead to a bigger boost in fan interest and engagement in sports games, and bring in more revenue to the state, said Dan Cornely, assistant director of the MBA in Sport Management program at FAU’s College of Business.
“It’s going to have a vast impact on the sports world in Florida,” Cornely said. “Fans are going to want to try out betting, leading them to being more engaged in live sports events and boosting ticket sales for Florida teams.”
After a drawn-out legal battle, sports gambling opened to all Floridians in December 2023 through the Hard Rock Bet app, owned by the Seminole Tribe, in a three-decade deal that should bring in about $20 billion to the state of Florida. The app allows anyone within the state of Florida to place bets on major league and college sports games.
The gambling app could also draw in people who previously may not have paid much attention to sports.
“People may want to bet on a team they have never heard of or a sport they were not familiar with. It will allow for people to learn more about sports they haven’t followed,” Cornely said. “They could get into the details of betting spreads and how tactics within a game influence the outcome of games.”
It’s also likely to attract more tourists as it offers visitors another gambling attraction to add to the casinos. Gambling is another activity that will increase among tourists coming to Florida moving forward, potentially building more revenue for these teams through live attendance.
“I think we are only seeing the beginning of what this could mean for sports in Florida,” Cornely said.
-FAU-
Latest Academic & Campus Life
- FAU's Career Center Unveils 'Industry to Campus Lab'FAU has recently unveiled its Industry to Campus Lab, a groundbreaking initiative designed to strengthen the connection between academic programs and the ever-evolving needs of the global workforce.
- A.D. Henderson Ranks Among the Best in the State by NicheFlorida Atlantic University's A.D. Henderson University School (ADHUS) is ranked the No. 3 "Best School" among both elementary and middle schools in the state of Florida according to Niche for 2025.
- MediaLab@FAU Receives $100,000 GrantFlorida Atlantic University's MediaLab@FAU has been awarded a $100,000 grant from Press Forward, a national initiative aimed at revitalizing local news and strengthening communities.
- FAU Hosted U.S. Congressman Joe WilsonFAU recently hosted U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) to speak about the security of the U.S. and Israel. His presentation was during an event that highlighted FAU's deep ties to the Jewish community and Israel.
- FAU's Jean M. Caldieron, Ph.D., Earns Fulbright Global Scholar AwardJean Martin Caldieron, Ph.D., will conduct his main research project on empowering communities to improve two selected self-built settlements in the outskirts of Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire in West Africa.
- FAU College of Business Honors Former AmbassadorFlorida Atlantic University's College of Business awarded former Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad with the Dean's Distinguished Award for Entrepreneurial Leadership.