The major stadiums in downtown Phoenix both will have sportsbooks, as the Arizona sports betting landscape takes shape.
Gov. Doug Ducey signed Arizona sports betting legislation and a new tribal compact last month. Since then, Arizona sportsbook partnerships emerged, as well as clarity on when the state might launch.
On Thursday, the Arizona Diamondbacks announced a partnership with Caesars Sportsbook to create a stadium book at Chase Field. The deal also will enable online sports betting in the state for Caesars.
“We have long enjoyed successful gaming operations in Arizona and are delighted to expand into sports betting alongside the Arizona Diamondbacks,” Caesars Entertainment CEO Tom Reeg said in a statement. “Together, we have the opportunity to create new ways for baseball fans to engage with the game both in-person near the ballpark and online anywhere in Arizona.”
Two sportsbooks across the street
The same day Ducey signed the documents, which give 10 licenses to the state’s professional sports organizations and 10 to the tribes, the Phoenix Suns partnered with FanDuel.
The Suns and FanDuel plan to open a sportsbook at Phoenix Suns Arena and launch mobile AZ sports betting through the license.
Chase Field and Phoenix Suns Arena are separated by a two-block walk in downtown Phoenix.
Caesars pushing forward
Caesars plans a “first-class sportsbook and bar concept” for the plaza outside the Diamondbacks’ stadium, according to a release.
The company recently closed its acquisition of William Hill, which opened the first sportsbook in a US professional sports venue at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
Other baseball stadium sportsbooks have been announced, including a DraftKings sportsbook at the Chicago Cubs‘ Wrigley Field and BetMGM at Nationals Park in D.C.
Sports bets and a round of golf
DraftKings was the first operator to claim a partner in Arizona on April 14. A “visually stunning 19th hole experience” is promised at TPC Scottsdale.
The course hosts the PGA Tour‘s Waste Management Phoenix Open each year at the same time as the Super Bowl. DraftKings is a PGA Tour partner.
The Waste Management Open is considered a bucket list-type sporting event because of its party-like atmosphere. That party likely will be amplified when Phoenix hosts the Super Bowl in 2023.
Key Arizona partners still on the board
DraftKings and FanDuel have their partners. And it looks as though AZ sports betting will launch by the previously stated goal of NFL kickoff.
Major organizations still uncoupled include:
- Phoenix Coyotes
- Arizona Cardinals
- Phoenix International Raceway
Representatives from the organizations spoke during the legislative process. The Cardinals’ State Farm Stadium will host the 2023 Super Bowl.
What about sports betting operators?
In recent earnings calls, executives from both BetMGM and theScore mentioned Arizona as a market to watch.
PointsBet is another logical assumption, as it aims to be in 18 states by the end of 2022. The company has professional sports team and tribal partnerships in several other states.
Arizona sports betting timeline
During the legislative process, the bill garnered an emergency designation. The goal of the designation was to facilitate launch by the NFL season.
On April 21, the Arizona Department of Gaming laid out its timeline. There was no explicit date, but an expedited regulation process is required with the emergency bill.
“The department is already hard at work drafting rules and procedures to ensure the safety and security of the Arizona betting public as we look towards implementing event and fantasy sports wagering in the months ahead,” ADG Director Ted Vogt said in the release.
