A significant unresolved question about the future of sports betting in Arizona is how the state will determine which applicants receive licenses, potentially leaving some applicants disappointed.
The procedures for allocating betting licenses in Arizona are now available as primary answers.
A new amendment to the draft laws for AZ sports betting presents the suggested plan of action. The wording could potentially favor tribal casino operators working with other casino operators, depending on interpretation, over those wishing to create their own platforms.
What are the steps required to obtain a betting license in Arizona?
Remember, the language being used is only provisional at this point. The AZ Department of Gaming is providing a chance for public comment on Friday at 10 a.m. PT, offering interested individuals the opportunity to express their thoughts. The new section of the draft regulations is not overly lengthy.
Essentially, it provides a guideline for the Department to follow in reviewing standards if the number of qualified applicants exceeds the available licenses. This is most likely to happen among tribal casino operators in the state.
The recently enacted Arizona law sets aside 10 licenses for them. Yet, there are 23 Indigenous groups in current agreement with Arizona. It is not certain whether more than 10 of these groups would seek licenses, or even meet the criteria. If such a situation arises, then this part of the supposed regulations would be irrelevant.
If at least 11 small buyers are taken into account, regulators will have to make certain decisions. The regulations offer some clarity on which events could potentially take precedence.
Knowledge is important in this case.
When choosing a student for an examination, the first two considerations are the applicants’ experience. Additional factors include the applicants’ backgrounds in ethical gambling, their community involvement, and their readiness to accept bets. Most operators of cultural casinos in Arizona, however, lack expertise in sports betting.
However, some have a strong alliance with other parties and have extensive experience. This includes the Ak-Chin Indian Community, which operates the Harrah’s casino near Maricopa. Harrah’s brand is owned by Caesars Entertainment. Caesars recently acquired the operations of William Hill and has been running a sportsbook under its own brand for a long time.
The San Carlos Apache Tribe, another tribal operator with a clear link to sports betting, operates the Apache Gold and Apache Sky casinos near San Carlos. They recently partnered with WynnBet Sportsbook earlier this month.
Other candidates still have time to align themselves in a similar manner. If there are bids, having a partner like Caesars or WynnBet is likely to boost them in a competition. However, it’s not guaranteed that different users are eagerly approaching casinos.
Which parties might also become part of the coalition in Arizona?
No other potential partners, including:, have yet announced Arizona’s industry entry.
- Sportsbook BetMGM
- Sportsbook of BetRivers
- Sportsbook PointsBet
- Sportsbook Unibet
Besides tribal casinos, operators have other potential partners. The state has set aside 10 additional licenses for sports entertainment enterprises. Although the Arizona Diamondbacks, Phoenix Mercury, Phoenix Suns, and TPC Scottsdale have already disclosed their partners, there are still other possibilities available, including:
- Cardinals of Arizona
- Coyotes of Arizona
- Raceway in Phoenix
Hence, even if all the events qualify for license acquisition, there might still be some that remain unclaimed. Currently, Arizona law prohibits regulators from issuing these exceptional licenses to ethnic applicants. As a result, some cultural casinos might be left on the outside looking in. However, this report can provide these organizations with insights on how to avoid such scenarios.
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