Key Takeaways from Sports Betting Operator Conference Call in Arizona

On Wednesday, the Arizona Department of Gaming took a step forward in the implementation of sports betting in the state by revealing their detailed plan for a successful launch.

On Wednesday, Harold “Hal” Wafer, the Department Event Wagering & Fantasy Sports Contests Administrator, and Jay Herycyk, the Problem Gaming Treatment Administrator, had a call to discuss the upcoming process with sportsbook operators. Arizona sports betting apps are scheduled to launch at 12:01 a.m. on Sept. 9 in preparation for Arizona NFL betting.

Circle September 12 on your calendar if you want to bet on the Arizona Cardinals in their first game against the Tennessee Titans.

The guidelines detailed strategies for establishing a robust self-exclusion registry to protect individuals struggling with gambling problems, along with information about the imminent issuance of licenses set for this week.

FanDuel is gearing up to debut in Arizona.

As the Friday deadline approaches to inform retail and mobile sportsbook operators of the status of their applications, the importance of the approval or denial has grown significantly this week.

Wafer mentioned that the department’s licensing team is confident about meeting the deadline for finalizing licensing, but stressed that all approvals are tentative until each operation has undergone a comprehensive review.

This is the key takeaway from the department’s discussion with gaming operators on Wednesday:

On Self-Exclusion

The Wednesday meeting commenced with Wafer and Herycyk discussing the required steps for the department and operators to uphold the state’s self-exclusion list.

The list allows problem gamblers to choose to exclude themselves from all gambling establishments in the state. Department officials plan to update the self-exclusion list regularly with input from operators, aiming for daily updates whenever feasible.

On Licensing Timeline

Wafer had full confidence that the department would be able to meet the Friday deadline for sportsbook operators.

He stated that the department is confident that licenses for retail sportsbooks will be announced on Friday, but stressed that all approvals are contingent upon the department’s evaluation of gaming facilities and completion of other required steps.

Licensing Process Confusion

Furthermore, it was worth noting that the authorized sportsbook license holders (FanDuel Arizona and Penn National Gaming/Barstool Sports) did not have any inquiries during the conference call.

In general, operators seemed to have more uncertainties than solutions regarding the department’s ongoing efforts, with over half of Wednesday’s call centered around inquiries about the licensing process.