Sports Betting in Arizona

Sports betting became legal in Arizona in April 2021 to anybody over the age of 21 and is available both online and in person. Bettors are allowed to bet on sports in Arizona if they meet the age requirement and are physically present within the state’s borders.

Who Regulates Sports Betting in Arizona?

After negotiating a new contract with Arizona Indian tribes to integrate sports betting into their casino enterprises, Gov. Doug Ducey signed the Arizona sports betting bill into law. The Arizona Department of Gaming is currently determining the rules under which retail and online sports betting will be administered in Arizona

Arizona made 20 sports betting licenses available initially. The state’s existing tribes received half, and pro sports teams hold the other ten. Previously, the tribes had a gaming monopoly in the state, but as part of the agreement, they were allowed to extend their activities.

Legal Sportsbooks in Arizona

• Apache Gold, Apache Sky Casinos (WynnBet Sportsbook at San Carlos Apache Tribe)
• Chase Field (Caesars/William Hill sportsbook partnership with Arizona Diamondbacks)
• Desert Diamond Casinos (Sportsbook TBD at Tohono O’odham Nation Tribe)
• Digital Gaming (San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe) – Venue TDB
• Footprint Center (Bally Bet partnered with Phoenix Mercury)
• Footprint Center (FanDuel Sportsbook with Phoenix Suns)
• Footprint Center (Rush Interactive partnership with Arizona Rattlers)
• Gila River Arena (Sportsbook TBD at Arizona Coyotes)
• Golden Nugget (Sportsbook TBC at Hualapai Tribe) – Venue TBD
• Harrah’s Ak-Chin Hotel and Casino (Sportsbook TBD at Ak-Chin Indian Community)
• Mazatzal Hotel & Casino (TwinSpires Sportsbook at Tonto Apache Tribe)
• Paradise Casino (Unibet Sportsbook at Fort Yuma-Quechan Tribe)
• Phoenix Raceway (Barstool Sportsbook partnered with NASCAR
• Spirit Mountain Casino (SuperBook Sports at Fort Mojave Indian Tribe)
• State Farm Stadium (BetMGM Sportsbook at Arizona Cardinals)
• TPC Scottsdale – DraftKings with TPC Scottsdale
• Twin Arrows (Sportsbook TBD at Navajo Nation Tribe)
• We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort (Betfred Sports at Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation Tribe)

Mobile Betting Apps in Arizona

In Arizona, all licensed sports betting operators are now able to launch mobile sports betting apps. These apps will be linked to a retail tribal casino or a sporting organization, but they can be used throughout Arizona.

Online sportsbooks began operating in Arizona on September 9, 2021, and as of February there are 14 legally operating mobile sports betting operations. Golden Nugget was the most recent to launch, but more will follow as there are still four licenses to be handed out from the original list of applicants.

The Path to Arizona Legalizing Sports Betting

• 2018 – The State of New Jersey, represented here by Governor Philip D. Murphy fought to reverse the 1992 Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA). Governer Murphy won and in 2018, each state was free to legalize sports betting within its borders. Sen. Sonny Borelli expresses interest in supporting an Arizona sports betting bill but no legislation was drawn up.
• 2019 – SB 1158 attempted to legalize Arizona sports betting but the bill died in committee.
• 2020 – A reworked bill SB 1525 proposed to legalize sports betting with a reworked bill from the previous year but the bill prohibited mobile sports betting.
• 2021 – HB 2772 and SB 1797 became the bills to pass through committee and legalize sports betting and daily fantasy sports
• On July 2, 2021, a new draught of guidelines was revealed, specifying an 8% tax rate on retail bets and a 10% tax rate on mobile bets. The cost of sports betting licenses is projected to be $850,000.

Daily Fantasy Sports in Arizona

Due to updated gaming agreements that allow for legal sports betting in Arizona, daily fantasy sports (DFS) are also now allowed in Arizona. DFS contests with cash rewards were also included in the revised amendments. According to the Arizona Department of Gaming, the number of DFS licenses available in the state is unrestricted.

The following are the DFS providers in Arizona:

• DraftKings
• FanDuel
• Fantasy Sports Shark
• FFPC
• Underdog Sports
• Yahoo

Arizona Sports Franchises

Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals play at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale and compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division. The team was formed in 1898 as the Morgan Athletic Club and is the oldest professional football team in the United States.

They finished 3rd in the NFL 2020 season. They moved to Phoenix in 1988 from St Louis and their best season came in 2008 when they lost in Super Bowl XLIII (vs. Steelers) 23–27

Phoenix Suns

Based in Phoenix, Arizona, the Suns compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) Western Conference, Pacific Division since 1968. and have won two conference championships, but never an NBA title. The Phoenix sun made it to the 2021 NBA Finals, having won the western conference, against the Eastern Conference champion Milwaukee Bucks. The Suns led the series 2–0 before the Bucks came back and won the next four games to win the NBA final.

Arizona Diamondbacks

The D-backs are a major league baseball team in the West division based in Phoenix, Arizona. Their home is the Chase Field in Phoenix. They joined the MLB before the 1998 season and won the World Series three years later, defeating the New York Yankees in the final series.

Arizona Coyotes

This professional ice hockey team based in Phoenix are commonly referred to as the Yotes. The team first played at America West Arena in downtown Phoenix, before moving to Glendale’s Gila River Arena in 2003. Starting in the 2021–22 NHL season, the Coyotes are scheduled to return to the Central Division for the first time since the 1997–98 season when the Seattle Kraken join the league.[5]
Originally founded on December 27, 1971, as the Winnipeg Jets they moved to Phoenix in 1996. Their home games are played at the Gila River Arena in Glendale. They have never won the Stanley cup.

Phoenix Mercury

The Mercury compete belong to the Western Conference in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team was founded before the league’s inaugural 1997 season began and is owned by Robert Sarver, who also owns the Phoenix Suns. With three WNBA titles and 12 playoff appearances in the last 14 seasons, Mercury are one of the most successful teams in the WNBA.