A major international sportsbook has entered the Arizona sports betting market as the operator continues to spread into US.
Bet365 continued its foray into the US market last week with a launch in Arizona. With the operator live for Arizona sports betting, bet365 is now in nine states.
The UK-based sportsbook’s launched in the Grand Canyon State just in time for Super Bowl betting and will be offering its bet365 bonus code for new users. The week prior, bet365 debuted for Indiana sports betting.
How bet365 entered Arizona
Bet365 missed the first wave of Arizona sports betting when the market opened in September 2021. Since then, bet365 turned its attention toward the US sports betting market, more than tripling its presence stateside.
The operator gained a license in August 2023 when the Arizona Department of Gaming opened an application process.
Bet365 partnered with the Ak-Chin Indian Community, which previously had partnered with Fubo Sportsbook. Fubo shut down its sports betting endeavor in October 2022.
More licenses open for Arizona sports betting
The ADG announced it will reopen license applications February 16. The period will remain open until March 4.
Hopeful operators can apply for one of three licenses available. There are 20 sports betting licenses in Arizona: 10 for the state’s professional sports organizations and 10 for tribes.
There is one license open connected to a tribe after TwinSpires shut down its Arizona operation. There are also two licenses tied to sports organizations, and those slots have remained empty since the market opened.
Sports betting aspirations in Arizona
With bet365 live, there are not many significant operators missing from Arizona. Fanatics and Circa Sports, however, could be two operators vying for a license this month.
There are 22 tribes in the state. While there are two open sports team licenses and unpartnered teams like the United Soccer League’s Phoenix Rising and two Indoor Football League teams, they might not meet specific qualifications.
WynnBet and Unibet still operate in Arizona with tribal partnerships but will wind down their operations this year. That will open up more licenses.
What is at stake in Arizona?
Arizona sports betting operators have taken more than $13.7 billion in wagers since September 2021. The sportsbooks have generated $1.1 billion in revenue, with the state hauling in $64.9 million in taxes.
BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings and FanDuel control more than 90% of the market.
One local brand, Desert Diamond, has regularly outperformed national brands in the state, including BetRivers and Barstool Sportsbook.
