Tribal gaming contributions to the Arizona Benefit Fund yielded a robust second quarter for fiscal year 2025, seeing a 95% increase from fiscal year 2022. The Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG) announced $41,876,352 would go to the fund.
The Arizona Benefit Fund receives 88% of all tribal gaming contributions to the state, which goes toward instructional improvement in schools, trauma and emergency care resources, tourism and wildlife conservation projects.
The tribes hand out the remaining 12% to cities and counties of their choice. Those funds are used for various public safety programs and community services at the discretion of the local governments.
Ted Vogt, director of the ADG, attributes the increasing tribal contributions to the amended tribal gaming compacts:
“With back-to-back record quarters of tribal contributions, it is clear the 2021 amended Arizona Tribal-State Gaming Compacts signed by Gov. Doug Ducey and Arizona tribes have modernized gaming in the state. Newly legalized casino games like craps and roulette have increased gaming activity and tribal contributions, underscoring the benefits new gaming opportunities have yielded for all of Arizona.”
Since 2004, tribal gaming has contributed over $1.74 billion to the Arizona Benefit Fund.
Breakdown of the Arizona Benefit Fund’s disbursement
Funds from tribal gaming contributions for the second quarter of fiscal year 2025 were dispersed as follows:
- Instructional Improvement Fund/Education: $20,871,174
- Trauma and Emergency Services Fund: $10,435,587
- Arizona Department of Gaming operating costs: $3,768,872
- Arizona Wildlife Conservation Fund: $2,981,596
- Tourism Fund: $2,981,596
- Problem Gambling Education, Treatment and Prevention: $837,527
Tribal gaming in Arizona
In Arizona, only Native American tribes are able to own and operate casinos. However, due to the Amended Tribal Gaming Compact, entities that are not a Native American tribe are able to operate sports books within the state.
Arizona allows up to 20 sportsbook licenses to operate within its borders; 10 are granted to the tribes, and 10 are granted to other entities. Currently, only eight licenses from non-tribal entities operate within the state. All 10 licenses granted to the tribes are in use.
This has created competition among the 22 tribes that call the state of Arizona their home, while the non-tribal entities experience very little amongst each other.
Non-tribal Arizona sportsbooks
The eight non-tribe Arizona sports betting operators that are aligned with a major pro sports team, league or sports venue:
- Bally’s: Phoenix Mercury
- Barstool Sports: Phoenix Raceway
- BetMGM: Arizona Cardinals
- Caesars: Arizona Diamondbacks
- DraftKings: PGA Tour and TPC Scottsdale
- FanDuel: Phoenix Suns
- Rush Street Interactive: Arizona Rattlers
- Sahara Bets: Arizona Coyotes
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