TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Sports betting is now legal in Arizona but how soon can you actually place a bet?
The Arizona Department of Gaming says the rules and timelines are still being drafted, but you can bet on the logistics being settled before fall.
The bill signed by Gov. Doug Ducey will eventually allow Arizonans to wager on sporting events and participate in daily fantasy sports legally.
Arizonans will be able to bet in-person at tribal casinos, or off-reservation sportsbooks in addition to mobile wagering.
There will be 10 available event-wagering mobile licenses designated for sports franchises and 10 available mobile licenses for Arizona tribes. There is no limit of licenses available for fantasy sports contests.
Outside of reservation casinos— professional sports groups will be able to offer wagering on pro-sports, and online fantasy sports operations like Draftkings can piggyback on the licenses.
For tribal casinos, the amended tribal-state gaming compacts allow for games such as craps, roulette, baccarat, pai gow tiles, big six, and sic bo.
These casino-style games were not legal in the state prior to the recently amended compacts, as well as event wagering and daily fantasy sports.
Legislative budget analysts predict sports betting, plus new lottery and Keno options, should bring the state more than $34 million in revenue, per year, by 2024.
As far as how soon this will roll out — the Department of Gaming says it's hoping for a mid-June start date for the previously mentioned casino games
Regarding event wagering and fantasy sports, the Department of Gaming has a goal of starting sometime this fall, in time for NFL games.
In a statement the Arizona Department of Gaming says:
“The amended compact allows for potentially 9 new authorized casinos in the state. It is the decision of each sovereign tribal nation to determine casino expansion within the requirements of the amended compact.”
The Pascua Yaqui Tribe will have the ability to build a third gaming facility in the state, with a maximum device cap of 900 gaming machines.
The location would be on the east side of I-10 on West Grant Road, as cited in the compact. The Tribe bought the 12.7-acre movie theater property for $4.65M, according to the Pima County Recorder’s Office.
KGUN9 reached out to the Pascua Yaqui Tribe for comment on the economic impact of the new bill and casino, but they have not replied.
