Arizona tribes outnumber available licenses for sports books

After years of tribes having a near monopoly on gambling in the state, Arizona’s new gaming compact signed in April has given half of the sports book licenses to professional team owners and venue operators as a key compromise.

However, now state officials say the number of tribes qualified for a license outnumbers those available. The state gaming department claims there are more tribal applicants who qualify, than licenses available. 

State rules on sports betting include guidance on how to move forward. The end of business on August 27 is the deadline for state regulators to decide which Arizona tribes get permission to take bets on sports. Officials say they are legally barred from publicly identifying eligible tribes until after the selection process is done. 

The Amended Tribal-State Gaming Compacts were signed into law by Governor Doug Ducey and the Arizona Tribes, and will be maintained for the next 20 years. 

The Compact sets forth the types of permitted games, adopted technical standards for gaming machines, authorizes the state to inspect casinos, requires background investigations and licensing of casino employees and vendor companies, and requires Tribes to contribute a portion of their net gaming revenues to state and local governments.