Arizona legal sports betting is nearly a reality. On Monday, the US Department of the Interior gave its final approval on Arizona’s updated tribal gaming compact. The gaming compact was signed by the tribe and Governor Doug Ducey on April 15th.
The state legislature has been drafting sports betting legislation since this date. All that was necessary to put the wheels in motion for sports betting was approval from the Department of the Interior.
Approval Came Earlier than Expected
The Arizona legislature and tribes were not expecting to receive a compact approval quickly on the federal level. The Arizona Department of Gaming has been planning for sports betting since the compact was created.
Last month the department announced that it had initiated the legislative process for sports betting and daily fantasy sports rules in AZ. Many legislators had the goal of enacting sports betting by the beginning of football season.
This was going to be tight depending on the Department of the Interior. However, the federal agency worked swiftly, giving legal sports betting a chance to go live for week one of the NFL season.
The compact needed to be reviewed within 45 days from April 16, but the department approved it in a little over a month. This same process is occurring for Florida and Connecticut compacts. Multiple states should launch sports wagering by football season, which is exciting for the industry.
An Extensive Process
Sports betting legislation in AZ was not a swift process. The entire negotiation process took five years to complete. The compact limits sports betting to a point where it will not become unregulated. The state and tribe have control over the form of gambling, so they are not taken advantage of by providers.
He said, “Gaming creates thousands of jobs for Arizonans, it generates tax revenue that benefits key areas of our communities, and it draws visitors to our state. The tribal-state gaming compact amendment, along with its associated legislation, was the culmination of a multi-year process, and I was proud to work with all the stakeholders on this historic accomplishment. The tribal-state gaming compact and its associated legislation now are officially in effect – thank you to everyone who worked to make this happen.”
House Bill 2772 was signed into law by Governor Ducey last month. Representative Jeff Weninger sponsored it, and it sets the standard for modernizing the state’s gaming industry.
Drafting Rules
The AZ Department of Gaming has been given the task of developing rules for sports betting in the state. They have not published the first draft of regulations, but they will most likely speed up the process following compact approval.
After the first draft, industry stakeholders will have 60 days to and provide feedback. After input is given, the Department of Gaming will establish final rules and supply them to the public.
Once the rules are complete, sports betting can go live in the state. There can be up to 20 sports betting licenses provided. The tribes will be granted ten, and the sports teams will be awarded ten.
