When Arizona tribes in 2021 agreed to a sports betting framework that allowed an equal number of sportsbooks at professional sporting venues, there were rumblings throughout the nation from tribes who felt that their Arizona counterparts were giving up their monopoly on gaming. At the time, Arizona tribes said they were comfortable with the arrangement that allots 10 wagering licenses each to tribes and pro franchises, even though that left at least six gaming tribes out of the mix.
But 15 months after retail and digital betting went live, some tribal members are having second thoughts.
Most of the major operators in Arizona partnered with professional sports venues, including the three biggest by market share — BetMGM (Arizona Cardinals), DraftKings (TPC-Scottsdale), and FanDuel (Phoenix Suns). So far, only eight pro franchise licenses have been issued, as there are not 10 in the state that meet the criteria to be licensed.
In fact, four of the major operators partnered with somewhat unexpected pro franchises — Barstool Sportsbook with Phoenix Raceway, DraftKings with TPC-Scottsdale, BetRivers with the Arena League’s Arizona Rattlers, and BallyBet with the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury. Every operator partnered with a pro franchise will have a digital platform, though some will not have retail locations.