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Legal Gambling is Making Its Way into Arizona


— September 24, 2021

If you are looking for more information about how the legalization works in Arizona, which sportsbooks you can wager on, and everything in between, here is a guide for you.


Legal gambling is slowly making its way into Arizona, where it will finally launch on September 9, 2021. When the bill was passed in early April this year, people were surprised to find Arizona jumping onboard the list of states to legalize gambling. 

With the momentum for gambling rising, the negotiations between the Governor and the tribes became fervent, resulting in the state board permitting around 20 licenses split between the tribal casinos and professional sports teams in the state. Like with any other revolutionary decision, the struggle to bring legal gambling to Arizona wasn’t devoid of poison pills. Nonetheless, the determination of key participants paid through, and the agreement was reached at the last moment.

What makes Arizona more noteworthy is that it was one of the few states that didn’t allow daily fantasy sports. But that has changed now. Though regulations and licenses are still under finalization, the government is planning to launch sports betting before the NFL season in 2021.

If you are looking for more information about how the legalization works in Arizona, which sportsbooks you can wager on, and everything in between, here is a guide for you.

Online Gambling in Legalization in Arizona

The internet arena in terms of gambling is unregulated. And the lawmakers aren’t quite interested in altering the status quo. As a result, a lot of offshore sites like BetOnline and Bovada currently accept gamblers from Arizona. Nevertheless, the legality of this practice is dubious because of the state’s stringent land-based gambling regulations. So, though online gambling is actively present in Arizona, it is largely a legal grey area.

Playing at offshore gambling sites isn’t mentioned anywhere in the state’s regulations. Meaning, this practice can be considered a punishable offense theoretically. Nevertheless, the local laws are pretty strict when it comes to unlicensed land-based gambling. As a result, the legal status of online gambling in the state is a bit vague. Currently, many lawyers are in conflict about whether the general laws should be applied to gambling and wagering on iGaming sites or not.

But the good news is that the local authorities aren’t going behind individual internet gamblers, leveraging this loophole. So, industry experts will tell you not to worry when you play online in Arizona and that it is perfectly safe to do so.

Image by Gratisography, via Pexels.com.
Image by Gratisography, via Pexels.com.

Potential Sportsbooks Expected to Operate in Arizona

If you plan to indulge in some online gambling in Arizona, you might prefer learning about the potential sportsbooks that would operate in Arizona. If so, here is a list of the top sportsbooks that could partner with casinos and begin their operation after bagging their license.

  1. DraftKings

One of the top sportsbooks across the United States, DraftKings was a popular daily fantasy platform before they delved into the sportsbooks and gambling arena. However, they haven’t operated in Arizona even as a DFS platform. With the launch of gambling in Arizona, DraftKings might partner with a licensed operator.

DraftKings is a leader in sport and prop offerings. The ease of signing up for an account for all their features is an essential highlight of the app.

  1. FanDuel

Another popular DFS site, FanDuel, isn’t as sharp as DraftKings in terms of interface and site performances. Nevertheless, they do offer quite a lot of sports betting and gambling options alongside great bonuses and promotions and a decent customer support system. Nonetheless, they will have to partner with a licensed casino to operate in Arizona.

  1. BetMGM

A hotel and casino chain, BetMGM is a popular name in the United States. Though there haven’t been any signs of them breaking into the state, they can easily begin their operations by linking up with a Tribal casino. Established in Vegas, BetMGM is a famous sportsbook. They are now looking to spread their sportsbooks across various legalized states, including Arizona. BetMGM in Arizona will likely have a solid mobile app for mobile wagering too.

  1. PointsBet

Backed by NBC, PointsBet is a relative newcomer in the sports betting industry. They feature a great lot of features to bet and also have a solid array of offerings for sports. The sportsbook also has one of the best bonuses and user promotions. 

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