Legislation
US – Arizona moves a step closer to legalising sports betting
By Phil - 8 March 2021
The Arizona House has passed a sports betting bill that would allow 10 mobile and retail gaming licenses for Native American tribes and 10 more for professional sports teams. The bill will now be sent to the Senate for approval there.
Some pari-mutuel horse tracks and off-track betting parlours could apply for one of 10 additional retail-only sports betting licenses. Daily fantasy sports would also be allowed.
Sports betting in Arizona is predicted to generate $42m in annual tax revenues with the hope that the first bet could be placed in late 2021 or early 2022 if Republican Gov. Doug Ducey signs the bill into law by the session’s June end.
If approved, Arizona would join Illinois and Washington D.C. as the only states with sportsbooks in sports stdaiums. The Arizona Cardinals, Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona Coyotes and Phoenix Coyotes would all receive sportsbook licenses, along with the TPC Scottsdale golf course, home of the PGA Tour’s annual Phoenix Open, and the Phoenix Raceway motorsports track.
