Legal Sports Wagering Gets One Step Closer in Arizona

Legal sports wagering in Arizona moved one step closer after the Department of Interior approved a recent tribal-state gambling compact. The gambling compact which was signed by Governor Doug Ducey in April allows tribal operators to offer sports wagering and expand their gambling operations.

DoI in Arizona Approves a Tribal-State Gambling Compact

Legal sports wagering in Arizona moved one step closer on Monday this week. The Department of Interior (DoI) gave its approval for an updated gaming compact between tribal operators and the state. While a previous gambling compact between tribal operators and the state was about to expire, the updated compact was signed by Governor Doug Ducey in April. Now, under the approved compact Arizona residents can legally bet on sports at venues owned by major league sports. Furthermore, the compact allows sports fans to wager on sports within tribal casinos.

The Launch of Sports Wagering Is Still Pending

The approval by the Department of Interior was the last legal obstacle on the way to launching legal sports wagering in Arizona. With that in mind, what is still pending are the rules for launching the activity. Those rules are currently being processed by the Arizona Department of Gaming.

Besides offering sports wagering, under the newly approved gambling compact, tribal operators were allowed to increase their number of slot machines. Furthermore, the tribes were given green light to add more games such as craps and Baccarat.

Will the State Launch Sports Wagering by the NFL Season Kick-Off?

Considering that the approval of the gambling compact happened rather quickly, Arizona may soon take the next step and launch legal sports wagering. If all goes as planned, Arizona sports fans may be able to wager just in time for the kick-off of the NFL season on September 9.

In a statement, Ducey shared his excitement about the recently approved gambling compact. He deemed the tribal-state gambling compact as “historic“. Furthermore, Ducey acknowledged that the gaming industry creates thousands of jobs for Arizonans. Besides new jobs, the gaming industry brings tax revenue and attracts more visitors to the state, said Ducey in conclusion.