Arizona Department Of Gaming To Issue Final Betting Licenses

The Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG) is set to begin a month-long application window for sportsbooks. Lawmakers are looking to successfully issue the final three Arizona sports betting licenses to operators. The process will begin on August 1 and will run until the end of the month. Operators will be applying for event wagering licenses, one for local tribes and two for local sports franchises in hopes of joining the best sports betting sites already in the state.

Arizona Sports Betting Licensing Process

To gain a sports betting license and launch mobile sportsbooks in Arizona, operators will have to complete application forms that will be posted on July 14. An information webinar for applicants will also be held on July 17. The webinar will answer questions operators may need clarification on.

Operators will be able to apply for betting licenses from August 1 to August 15. All applicants must complete and submit applications within this timeframe to be considered. The ADG will then review applications from August 25 to September 1. Each application will be thoroughly evaluated by the ADG.

The ADG will review each application even if there are more qualified applicants than there are licenses.

An Attractive Betting Market

Since the launching of sportsbooks in the Grand Canyon State on September 9, 2021, Arizona has been a major market. More than $10 billion have been wagered all time, making Arizona just the 10th market to do so. $535.7 million in wagers were reported in April 2023.

The market has seen a steady increase in activity with April’s handle representing a 4.5% increase year over year. Gross gambling revenue (GGR) from sportsbooks has also been growing. April saw $49.2 million in GGR which is up 68.1% year over year.

Major operators like FanDuel, DraftKings, and BetMGM, have all reaped the benefits of being active in Arizona. A look at the monthly handle shows that FanDuel saw $212.9 million in bets, DraftKings saw $148.7 million, and BetMGM saw $72.4 million in activity in just April alone. The remaining three applicants will be entering a thriving market.

Sports betting bill HB 2772 allows for up to 20 betting licenses in the state. Operators have been launching steadily since the market first launched. More sports betting options are underway for local players in Arizona.