In September, we discovered key insights about sports betting in Arizona.
Arizona sports betting apps, despite being only a month old, are already challenged by seasoned industry experts in the market.
The introduction of the market on September 9th in the 48th State led to a sudden increase in demand for legalized betting.
Below are the key points from Arizona in September:
Betting on the NFL in Arizona Reaches Record Levels
According to a survey by geolocating firm GeoComply, Arizona ranked fourth out of 18 states and the District of Columbia for NFL sports betting transactions in September, with a total of 36.9 million.
Arizona placed fourth in the country for football betting, behind only New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, showing a strong interest in football wagering within the state.
Furthermore, the state ranked fourth in total NFL betting volume, accounting for 11.2% of all bets placed, following behind New Jersey (21.4%), Pennsylvania (19.6%), and Michigan (13.4%).
Lindsay Slader, Managing Director of Gaming at GeoComply, is excited about the ongoing expansion of sports betting from the start of the NFL season through the first four weeks. Data shows that Arizona’s early success is no accident, as the state has solidified its position as the fourth largest sports betting market in the country. As more states get ready to introduce sports betting, Slader predicts that growth will continue to rise in 2021 and 2022.
The Cardinals’ impressive performance in the NFL has been a major boost for Arizona sports betting, as they look to secure a 5-0 start to the season for the first time since 1974 this Sunday.
BetMGM Arizona ranks the Cardinals as having the seventh-best championship odds, whereas WynnBET Arizona, TwinSpires Arizona, Caesars Sportsbook Arizona, DraftKings Arizona, and FanDuel Arizona all rank Arizona as eighth.
Arizona’s launch has major sports betting operators excited.
Arizona sports betting customers have given operators positive feedback, which has pleased them.
Jason Scott, the vice president of trading at BetMGM, is thrilled by the enthusiastic reaction of Arizona residents to the company’s online casinos.
In an email to yengols.com, Scott reported that BetMGM has achieved notable success in Arizona, with results similar to those seen during the launch in Michigan in January. This achievement is especially impressive given that Michigan had the added benefit of iGaming alongside sports betting.
Who was launched in Arizona?
BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook, DraftKings Sportsbook, FanDuel Sportsbook, Penn National Interactive/Barstool Sports, TwinSpires Sportsbook, Unibet, and WynnBET are the operators currently residing in Arizona.
There are several operators that have been licensed but have not yet launched, including Rush Street Interactive/BetRivers, Bally’s, Golden Nugget, Fubo Sports, Digital Gaming, Bet365, and Betfred.
The Gaming Compact of 2021 allowed for the distribution of 20 licenses, evenly split between Arizona professional sports teams and tribes.
A yengols.com representative stated that the Arizona Department of Gaming has not set a date for awarding the final two licenses, and it remains uncertain if they will be granted in the near future.
Who is the next one to launch?
According to a company representative speaking to yengols.com, Fubo Sportsbook is anticipated to be the next operator to debut in Arizona, with plans to launch in the fourth quarter of 2021.
The company representative did not give a set start date, but they showed enthusiasm for the upcoming launch of Fubo Sportsbook in Arizona.
Bally’s Sportsbook, in collaboration with the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA, will be launching in early 2022, as confirmed by a company representative.
Representatives from PointsBet and Golden Nugget have not provided a set date for when they will begin operating in the Arizona market.
Yengols.com reached out to Digital Gaming, Bet365, Rush Street Interactive/BetRivers, Betfred, and MaximBet for comment, but they were all unavailable to respond.
It is not clear what the status is of the Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe’s lawsuit.
The Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe in northern Arizona has filed a legal challenge that has cast a shadow over Arizona’s inaugural month of mobile sports betting.
The tribe’s first lawsuit was dismissed by Judge James Smith of Maricopa County Superior Court on Labor Day due to a lack of merit.
The tribe argues that state House Bill 2772, which legalized sports betting both on and off tribal lands, is unconstitutional.
The complaint alleges that the 2021 gaming compact violated Proposition 202, which authorized gaming on tribal land within the state.
The updated complaint was filed on September 27, but a court hearing has not been arranged yet. The public information officer confirmed that the court does not have any dates scheduled for the complaint at this time.
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Author
Peterson Christopher, with over seven years of experience covering sports and sports betting in Arizona for ArizonaSports.com, the Tucson Weekly, and the Green Valley News, now holds the position of lead writer at yengols.com.
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