Sports Then and Now

When sports betting finally becomes legal on September 9, FanDuel is going to make history as one of the first sportsbooks to operate in the state. A company spokesperson stated they had been approved for sports betting and daily fantasy sports in the state. FanDuel announced they would open a sportsbook at the Footprint Center in Phoenix.

The Arizona Department of Gaming distributed licenses to applicants. 10 tribal licenses were available. It was not cheap to obtain a license. The initial license fee, which covers the first five years, was $750,000. There was also an application fee of $100,000.

Must be Over 21 to Play

Both retail and online sports betting in Arizona are available to people over 21. In some states, anyone who’s 18 or over can play, but AZ is a bit more conservative in that regard. Bets have to be placed within state borders. This includes the famous “four corners” location. If you move into Colorado or New Mexico, you can’t use an Arizona sportsbook anymore. You need to look for one operating in these states. If you shift into Utah, you can’t bet at all because it’s banned in this state.

Geolocation Tech

FanDuel and other sportsbooks in Arizona won’t take your word for your location, obviously. Their sites apply geolocation technology that determines your location using your device’s internal GPS chip. Your phone can confirm your location if it can establish it using Google maps. You’ll have to download a separate plugin if you’re using a computer to place wagers. Don’t worry. Every state with regulated online gaming uses this technology. It works, and it’s very user-friendly.  

Here are some of the best Arizona sportsbooks with tribal partners:

• BlueBet
• Betfred
• Kindred Group
• PointsBet
• MaximBet
• WynnBet

Before the license application procedure was completed, there were 26 candidates who wanted to start offering this type of betting in the state. The state had 20 licenses available. Half were for tribes and the other half for pro sports entities. Finally, Arizona got ten applications from sports organizations and 16 from tribes.

FanDuel Sports Partnership in the Grand Canyon State

On the same day, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey signed sports betting into law that FanDuel announced a sports partnership with the Suns. Bally’s Corp. partnered with the WNBA‘s Phoenix Mercury, which is owned by the same entity as the Suns. The retail sportsbook, which the company will open in downtown Phoenix, covers an impressive 7,400 square feet. FanDuel is also opening a mobile sportsbook. The retail one will have a 35-foot video wall, tens of TVs, and 26 booths, as well as multiple walkup windows. It will be open every day.

New Sportsbook at Chase Field

Caesars Sportsbook will open a sportsbook nearby in partnership with the Arizona Diamondbacks. The company has partnered with the Fiesta Bowl Organization, which incorporates the Guaranteed Rate Bowl and the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl.

Other partnerships

Phoenix Raceway partnered with Penn National Gaming, and DraftKings partnered with PGA Tour/Barstool Sportsbook TPC Scottsdale. So far, the Coyotes have not announced a partnership, making them the only major professional sports team in the state without one.

Casino Del Sol, which the Pascua Yaqui Tribe owns, announced a collaboration with Scientific Games. Casino of the Sun and Del Sol announced plans to open SolSports booths and a retail sportsbook. Other tribes that have partnered with sportsbooks include Fort Mojave Indian Tribe, Hualapai Tribe, and Quechan Tribe, joining forces with SuperBook Sports, Golden Nugget, and Unibet Arizona, respectively.