Arizona Lawmakers Now Working With Tribes On Sports Betting Proposal

Arizona has finally begun to catch wind of the sports betting craze sweeping the nation since the 2018 legislation change. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of states making their own decision on legalized sports betting. On Monday, the proposal was introduced to the Arizona house to come together with the Native tribes with a long-standing impact on casinos in Arizona. All this has come after Governor Doug Ducey’s open stance on allowing sports gambling in Arizona to increase revenue for the state.

What The Proposal Includes

There is a lot to unpack here in the proposal as Arizona has had strict regulations on sports gambling and even fantasy sports for some time now. The main goal continues to be to co-exist with the tribal community and provide worthwhile sports betting option for everybody. The proposal currently focuses on residents being able to bet on sports at tribal casinos and sites owned by pro sports teams. It would also allow native American tribes to state casinos.

The proposal also includes approval for online betting, which has been the major attraction to bills being passed around the country. In a covid-19 era, casinos and states have needed revenue to continue, and mobile sports betting allows that while everybody is indoors. Fantasy sports wagering has not been approved in Arizona, and sites like FanDuel, DraftKings, and Yahoo have missed out on that market. The proposal includes allowing those sites to operate.

Why Tribal Approval Is A Big Deal

The tribes have had exclusive rights to gambling within the state, and with that, they have largely blocked bills that have come in over the last two decades. Daily fantasy sports have not had a chance to operate here yet. Tough times will generally force change, and that seems to be what is happening here. The proposal has been worked on together between the state government and tribes, which would help them obtain ten licenses and run over 20 tribal casinos in the state. Their casinos would also be able ot add more gambling offerings like craps and other table games. There is also a chance for DraftKings and other sportsbooks to partner up with these casinos to enhance online gambling. With many of these casinos being limited in the past, this would be a plus for them and generating revenue. However, the tribes will need to drop the extension that was signed for Tribal rights.

What This Means For Arizona Sports Teams

Arizona sports teams will be hoping this deal goes through as they would be able to run sports betting operations at their venues and retail locations around the arenas and stadiums. Ten licenses would be handed out to the pro sports teams, where NASCAR and PGA would be able to get in on the action next to the major sports leagues. The sports organizations continue to talk about generating interest and revenue for themselves and the local businesses. Arizona could begin to see more on-site betting areas around the arenas in the downtown Phoenix and Glendale area.