PHOENIX – On Friday, the Arizona Department of Gaming completed its evaluation period and awarded licenses to 10 Native American tribes and eight professional sports teams or venues to take bets online. The Department received 16 qualified tribal applications and eight qualified sports team/organization applications during the event wagering operator application process.
“During the rulemaking process for event wagering, the Department made it a priority to gather as much public and stakeholder comment as possible, particularly on aspects such as license allocation,” said Ted Vogt, Department of Gaming Director. “The allocation decision we are announcing today is a direct result of these efforts, helping to ensure the impartiality and fairness of the process for all applicants.”
Vogt and Gov. Doug Ducey are being sued by the Yavapai Prescott Indian tribe which is alleging state lawmakers illegally passed the state’s new sports betting bill in April. The Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe operates two casinos, Bucky’s Casino and Yavapai Casino.
A previously reported, “although daily fantasy sports wagering went live Saturday, single-game sports betting in Arizona will be available on Sept. 9, the first day of the NFL season. Early registration, which began at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, will allow gamblers to get a head start by depositing money in their accounts.”
The allocated licenses are as follows:
Tribal Licenses Allocated
1. Fort Mojave Indian Tribe (SuperBook Sports)
2. Navajo Nation
3. Quechan Tribe (Unibet Arizona)
4. Tonto Apache Tribe (Churchill Downs)
5. Tohono O’odham Nation
6. Hualapai Tribe (Golden Nugget)
7. Ak-Chin Indian Community
8. San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe (Digital Gaming)
9. San Carlos Apache Tribe (Wynn)
10. Ft. McDowell Yavapai Nation
Sports Team/Organization Licenses Allocated
1. Arizona Cardinals (BetMGM)
2. Arizona Diamondbacks (William Hill)
3. Phoenix Suns (FanDuel)
4. Arizona Coyotes
5. Phoenix Mercury (Ballys)
6. TPC Scottsdale (DraftKings)
7. Phoenix Speedway (Penn National)
8. Arizona Rattlers (Rush Street Interactive)
Fantasy sports contests went “go-live” on Saturday and Arizonans were able to sing-up and start wagering on the games. Below are the currently licensed fantasy sports operators in the state:
1. DraftKings
2. FanDuel
3. FFPC
4. Yahoo
5. Fantasy Sports Shark
6. Underdog Sports