Arizona sports wagering to begin Sept. 9 for 20 licensees
Arizona residents will be able to bet on sports in their state on Sept. 9, the first day of the National Football League season, the Arizona Department of Gaming said Monday.
Where gamblers will be able to bet won’t be known until Aug. 16. That’s when the department will announce the 20 licensees — 10 for Arizona tribal casinos and 10 for professional sports franchises and venues. Ten more limited-betting locations for Arizona horse tracks and off-track wagering locations also will be available.
The state also announced that daily fantasy sports would go live Aug. 28.
The announcement of rules and procedures by the Gaming Department set the stage for licensing applications, which must be submitted by Aug. 9.
Prospective licensees will be required to pay a $100,000 application fee and the initial license will cost $750,000 with annual renewals costing $150,000 a year. Sports betting gaming employees will be required to pay $250 for an initial license with renewals costing $150 a year.
The Arizona Legislature approved its sports wagering bill April 12. Gov. Doug Ducey signed a compact with the state’s tribes three days later.
The bid for licensing is expected to be competitive with 24 tribes across the state vying for 10 licenses. The pro franchise and venue licenses are expected to draw the attention of the Arizona Cardinals, the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Phoenix Suns, the Phoenix Mercury WNBA team and representatives of NASCAR and the Professional Golfers Association.
The Diamondbacks already have a partnership with Caesars Entertainment Corp. while the Suns have a deal with FanDuel and the Mercury with Bally’s Corp.
The PGA Tour and the TPC Scottsdale golf course have partnerships with DraftKings while NASCAR and the Phoenix Raceway have a deal with Penn National Gaming, which works with Barstool Sportsbook.
The National Football League season begins Sept. 9, a Thursday, when the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers host the Dallas Cowboys.
Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on Twitter.
