Arizona Announces Final Licensee List
Ahead of the much-anticipated launch of legal sports betting in the state, The Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG) has released a final list of the allocation of operator licenses. Ten tribal gaming licenses were given out, including the Hualapai Tribe powered by Golden Nugget and the Tonto Apache Tribe in tandem with Churchill Downs Incorporated.
The Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG) has released a final list of the allocation of operator licenses, with ten tribal gaming licenses being given out in total. ©Free-Photos/Pixabay
Tribal Operators and Sport Teams Joining DraftKings & FanDuel in AZ
The main regulatory body for legal gambling in the state of Arizona, the Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG), has finally revealed the allocation of sports betting operator licenses ahead of the long-anticipated launch of legal sports betting on September 9th, 2021.
Ten tribal gaming licenses were given out in total, with the Hualapai Tribe powered by Golden Nugget, the Tonto Apache Tribe in partnership with Churchill Downs Incorporated, and the San Carlos Apache Tribe in conjunction with WynnBet being some of the highlight recipients of the coveted licenses.
However it was not solely native tribes who received sports betting licenses from the ADG. Eight sports teams and venues were also some of the lucky few chosen by the regulatory body to be granted operator licenses.
These include the following franchises and physical venues: the MLB team the Arizona Diamondbacks, which has partnered with Caesars/William Hill, and the Arena Football League’s Arizona Rattlers in tandem with Rush Street Interactive (RSI). The WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury have chosen to work together with Bally’s Corporation, while the Phoenix Speedway has partnered with operator giant Penn National Gaming.
The Arizona sports betting scene is becoming increasingly crowded with these recent additions, with BetMGM, DraftKings and FanDuel already having announced their entrance into the Arizona Market last week. Fantasy sports, for those interested, is already up and running in Arizona, showcasing licensed operators such as DraftKings, FanDuel, FFPC, Yahoo, Fantasy Sports Shark and Underdog Sports.
ADG Made Public and Stakeholder Comment a Priority in Licenses
Director of the Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG) Ted Vogt stressed the importance of public and stakeholder comment in the regulatory body’s decision-making process as it finalized the allocation of sports betting licenses to operators in the state:
“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. 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.”– Ted Vogt, Director, Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG)
Piggybacking on the announcement of its partnership with MLB franchise the Arizona Diamondbacks, world-renowned casino provider Caesars Entertainment revealed the launch of its popular Caesars Sportsbook App in Arizona, along with a temporary Caesars sportsbook landing at the Diamondbacks’ venue Chase Field — the first baseball stadium in the nation to house a sportsbook:
“We couldn’t be happier to partner with the Arizona Diamondbacks as the state makes this shift into legal sports betting,” said Eric Hession, co-president of Caesars Digital. Arizona is the first state where our brand-new Caesars Sportsbook app will be live right as sports betting becomes legalized. We believe our app is the best in the industry, and we are thrilled to launch with a series of exciting offers that Arizonans can trust.”
WynnBet Recently Partnered with Arizona Tribe
In July 2021, luxury hotel and casinos operator WynnResorts announced that its online sports betting brand, WynnBet, would be partnering together with the San Carlos Apache Tribe in Arizona.
The terms of the agreement made it so that WynnBet would work closely with the Arizona tribe’s San Carlos Apache Tribal Gaming Enterprise, with the goal of securing the iGaming provider a license to operate online sports wagering in the state.
With the allocation of sports betting operator licenses now made public by the Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG), it appears WynnBet’s partnership with the Arizona tribe was a strategically sound move.
Caesars Sportsbook App Finally Launched in August 2021
Returning to Caesars Entertainment, the world-famous operator finally launched its long-in-the-works official new sportsbook app in August 2021, with the app currently live in eight US states: Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, New Jersey, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.
The technical aspects of the app are up and running thanks to the Liberty platform, which Caesars acquired as part of its very lucrative takeover of English online gambling company William Hill.
Chirs Holdren, one of Caesars Digital’s co-presidents, described Caesar’s bettors as being akin to “royalty”, boasting the operator’s diverse ways of gambling on and experiencing sports:
“Sports bettors deserve a sports betting experience that treats them like royalty. In our world, everyone’s an emperor, and the Caesars Sportsbook app delivers an experience worthy of them. We invite people to play with us online, stay with us at our resorts and experience their favorite sports in new ways through our unparalleled partnerships.”– Chris Holdren, Co-President, Caesars Digital
