Arizona Sports Betting
Welcome to Arizona, a state that offers everything you could want! Beyond just visiting the Grand Canyon, there are numerous entertainment possibilities. Indeed, the state provides a variety of gambling opportunities for both locals and visitors.
You may already be aware that there are land based tribal casinos that accept gambling for various casino table games. There are over 22 tribal casinos scattered throughout the state, from the small to the mega sized.
And that there is also horse, greyhound that offer both off-track and on-track betting.
And lastly the lottery offers the popular Powerball and Mega Millions, Scratchers and Instant Tabs.
But Sports betting in the state remains technically illegal. There are no on-site locations within Arizona that can accept bets. Onshore online sports betting sites remain illegal, however offshore online sports betting sites accept Arizona sports bettors.
- Sports Betting remains illegal (exception offshore online sports betting)
- The laws for offshore online sportsbooks are ambiguous therefore Arizona Sports Bettors are accepted.
Latest Update:
In Feb 2021, Representative Jeff Weninger introduced legislation to remit sportsbetting via tribal casinos and major league sports organisations in the state. The bill, HB2772, would authorize retail and online wagering as well as daily fantasy sports games through the state’s 24 tribal casinos as well as 10 licenses to be awarded to major league sports organisations including the Phoenix Raceway, Arizona Cardinals NFL team and Phoenix Coyotes NHL team. The bill states that it can only progress pending the approval of new 20-year gaming compacts between the tribes and the state and did not specify a tax rate at this stage. In March 2021, Sportsbetting bill, HB2772, was passed by the House and sent to the Senate for consideration.
Top 3 Arizona Sportsbook Sites
Arizona Online Sports Betting
Since the overturning of the The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) in May 2018, which effectively prevented each US State from accepting sports bets, Arizona has been slow off the mark to amend its constitution to legalize sports betting.
Though a bill has yet to be passed in the Senate to permit sports betting, offshore online sportbooks are able and continue to accept Arizona sports bettors.
How is this possible? The state gambling laws remain ambiguous and/or outdated. Though they clearly indicate onshore gambling channels are illegal, offshore remains in a gray area.
As a consequence, online casinos and online sportbooks accept Arizona players and sports bettors.
In the year 2019, off shore sportbooks accepted a total of $23.5 million in sports bets (according to H2 Gambling Capital, the leading Gambling data collection provider).
The year 2020, off shore sports betting is projected to remain stable.
Arizona Offshore Sports Betting Statistics
Arizona is the 11th most active state that participates in offshore sports betting as of 2020 with a gross win amount of $$55.73m. Arizona contributes to 3% of all offshore sports betting from the United States in 2020. Click here to see a breakdown of all offshore gambling activity broken down by state.
The following is a breakdown of all offshore sports betting from Arizona since 2003.
| Year | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
| Gross Win | $51.64m | $79.74m | $112.91m | $132.16m | $77.02m | $83.16m | $80.11m | $83.12m | $54.20m |
| Year | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020* |
| Gross Win | $52.43m | $51.94m | $51.27m | $49.82m | $49.44m | $49.79m | $50.11m | $50.20m | $55.73m |
*Note: Data from 2020 are currently based on estimates.
Source – H2 Gambling Capital
Offshore casino statistics for Arizona can be found here.
The Daily Fantasy Sports Debate
As more and more states try to amend the sports betting laws, many are choosing to allow daily fantasy sports (DFS) to satisfy the betting community, at least until lawmakers are able to pass a comprehensive sports betting bill.
Arizona is one of the few states that has long had a debate on whether or not DFS is considered a game of skill or a game of chance. Since the majority believe DFS is more of a game of chance, it is considered gambling and illegal in the state.
Arizona Mobile Sports Betting
Given that the sports betting laws have yet to be amended to permit sports betting, mobile apps clearly are illegal whether they be on shore or offshore.
A mobile app is typically downloaded onto a user’s mobile device and since the user is an application which is deemed to be physically located within the state, the use of mobile apps is therefore not offered.
Arizona On-Site Sports Betting
Given that the sports betting laws have yet to be amended to permit sports betting, no onshore sportsbook can legally accept any sports bets.
The state constitution must be amended to permit sportsbooks to operate and accept Arizona sports bettors.
Thus in summary:
- Offshore Sportbooks accept Arizona Sports Bettors via online
- No sports betting mobile apps are available.
- No on-site sports betting within Arizona borders are available
While not all offshore sports betting sites do accept players from the US, there are a few simple steps that players can take to find legitimate sites and start betting in no time. These steps will not only ensure the sites happily accept US players, but it will also help find the safest sites for gambling online.
Online Gambling License
Just like physical sportsbook establishments, online sports betting sites must also have a license to offer players real money gambling. All of the top sites will be licensed and regulated from jurisdictions around the world. The most common being Curacao, Costa Rica, Gibraltar, Malta, Panama, Isle of Man, and Kahnawake.
The license and regulatory information is often posted at the footer of the main page or within the general terms and conditions (usually found in the help section of the site). Alternatively, players can always contact customer support for more information.
Country Restrictions
A pretty obvious point, but a quick check of country restrictions will help save time in the end. Considering all sites require players to go through a registration process to confirm their identity, taking a moment to see if the site even accepts players from the US just makes sense.
To see which countries are restricted from participating in sports betting on a particular site, check the terms and conditions that are normally located within the help section. Customer support is also another great resource for country restrictions.
Payment Options
In order to make a deposit or withdraw winnings from a sports betting site, players will have to use an online banking option. Most sites will offer an array of convenient options from sources that can be trusted.
For players in the US, the most common banking options are major credit cards, wire transfers, prepaid cards, and cryptocurrency like Bitcoin.
How eSports Influence Sports Betting Laws
Although esports have been around since the early 70s, the industry has grown in sophistication and in the number of fans to the point where mainstream sportsbooks are featuring them. This new market has boosted sports betting revenue by billions of dollars and put extra pressure on lawmakers to legalize sports betting in the state. Until that day comes, players can bet on esports from the top offshore online sports betting sites.
Benefits of Online Sports Betting
Online sports betting has many benefits for players who are looking for something different in their gambling entertainment.
Accessibility
Players from all over the world can access different online sports betting sites with the click of a button. Unlike brick and mortar establishments that tend to offer the same sports and wagers, there are thousands of online sportsbooks to choose from and players now have a chance to shop around to find the site that fits their needs.
Instead of traveling to a physical sportsbook and waiting in line to place a bet, all a player now needs is an internet-capable device. Online sports betting is a pretty attractive option for the fact that players can enjoy instant betting from the comfort of home.
Wide Range of Sports
Online sports betting can be competitive and to stay on top of demand, plenty of sites offer a wide range of sports and sports teams to appeal to everyone in the community. Unlike local sportsbooks, there are endless options available online.
On top of the major international sports, many sites will have a selection of unique or minor sports that give players an interesting challenge in their betting.
Wealth of Information
Anyone new to sports betting will have to read up on the basics of sports betting and start off with a sport they are familiar with. For some, a brick and mortar sportsbook can feel intimidating, especially if they manage to hold up a line for the more seasoned gamblers.
A great benefit of being a member of a sports betting site is the information that is provided for them to better their odds of making a good bet. All of the top sites will have a help section that not only explains the ins and outs of the site, but also teaches players about the different sports rules and the wagers that can be made. A great way to learn the ropes in comfort, players can easily sit down and look through the tutorials to get comfortable with wagers online.
Overview of Arizona Sports Bars
Arizona has plenty of sports bars that have quality sport viewing screens, cold ice beer and easy to eat comfort food. We cannot cover them all, but provide a review of the most popular ones for you.
Arizona Sports Bars
Catalina Sports Bar and Grill
2939 N 16th St, Phoenix, Arizona
An awesome local neighborhood hang out. The locals support the Oakland Raiders, so it’s great to go when they are playing a big game. The bartender is professional and serves quality drinks. Can get really busy, especially on Saturday nights due it’s popularity. Yes, there was an incident about a year ago where 5 people were stabbed, but sometimes shit happens and it is not within the control of the owner. Nor is it reflective of the crowd that normally attends this joint. If you are looking for a fun place, that this is a definite sports bar you should try out.
Draft Sports Grill
1130 W Grove Ave #106, Mesa, Arizona
This place is great to watch all your football, basketball and any other sport mad fan games. A definite for the Super Bowl, or for March Madness and the NBA playoffs and finals, then this is the place to be!🏀
Massive TV’s cover the walls for great viewing, and their selection of draft beer (and craft beer) is huge. The food can be average on some occasions, but overall good sports bar grub. The prices can veer towards to more pricey end, but that’s probably due to their popularity and the great atmosphere and service they provide.
Duke’s Sports Bar and Grill
7607 E McDowell Rd, Scottsdale, Arizona
This is a great little sports bar, with nice TV’s surrounding the walls and even ceilings. The positioning of the screens isn’t the best in my opinion, but hey, if you want to watch ten games at once, you can! The three patio’s is what is special about this place. Great outdoors environment to chill and relax and of course what your sport. Two patios are for smokers whilst one is for non smoking. A huge variety of beers to choose from. Order the burgers, you can’t go wrong with them.
Arizona Sports Betting to become Legal
In order for Arizona sports betting to become legal there are significant challenges to overcome. These challenges stem from the fact that Arizona has many native American tribes that operate casinos in the state.
How does the number of native American casinos influence the difficulty of amending the Arizona Sports betting laws?
In the state of Arizona each native American tribe that operates a casino must be in a contractual agreement with the State. This contractual agreement is called a Compact. And, of course, with any contractual agreement it usually is unclear, lacking in detail, or simply incomplete.
The intention of the Compact, however, is to define the scope of gambling permitted by the native American tribes at their casinos, plus to outline what gambling options are permitted by commercial operators (if any are agreed upon or allowed by state constitutional law).
In the state of Arizona, only native American tribes are permitted to offer limited casino gaming and no commercial operator is allowed to compete. This has been agreed upon between native American tribes and State in the Compact.
The Compact does not address sports betting, because I doubt anyone would have thought that PASPA would have been successfully overturned. This lack of foresight, now becomes an issue.
Now that the legalization of sports betting is permitted, the road to legalization requires each state to address their existing gambling laws and to amend them (if they wish to legalize). Therefore the state of Arizona must address how to collaborate with each and every native American tribe.
There are 22 native American tribes to work with, that all must come to a unified agreement with the state. Each native American tribe will have their own concerns, and the State will have their concerns.
Therefore 23 parties must come to an agreement as to how they would like to proceed with the legality of sports betting in Arizona.
This is the challenge that the state of Arizona faces. Other US States do not face such challenges (*) , as they either have a lower number of native American tribes, or the existing compact is sufficiently prescriptive to address sports betting.
(*) The State of California poses the same difficulties as Arizona but on a larger scale. Their potential sports betting revenue exceeds that of many states, and therefore this is driving a lot of self interest among native American tribes, Card room operators, the state and other lobby groups.
Popular Arizona Sport Bets
There are many local teams that residents and visitors in Arizona can place a bet on. The most popular sports bet to place is on the NFL football.
Sports Betting Arizona Cardinals (NFL)
The Arizona Cardinals are NOT the best of NFL teams to put it lightly. They languish towards the bottom of the table for most seasons, but hey, when they are your local team, so you’ve got to support them!
Sports Betting Phoenix Suns (NBA)
The Phoenix Suns are faring a little better. Though historically they too have been at the bottom of the table, particularly during the period after Steve Nash retired, but they are rising back to the top through their star player Devin Booker.
Of course, this does not mean you cannot bet on any other team. Or heaven forbid, bet against an Arizona team.
Sports Gambling Laws and Legislation in Arizona
Since the overturning of the PASPA in May 2018, one new bill has been put forward to the House of Representatives.
SB1158 was put forward in Jan. 23, 2019. This bill would permit native American tribes to operate a sportsbook at their casinos.
Only tribal casinos would be permitted to operate a sportsbook. No commercial operators will be permitted to operate or compete against the tribal casinos.
In addition the bill only permits sports betting to occur on professional sports. Sports betting on college sports will remain illegal.
Arizona Bordering States
- Nevada – Sports betting is legal and operational
- New Mexico – Technically illegal but offshore online providers accept sports bettors.
- Utah – Sport betting is illegal
- California – Technically illegal but offshore online providers accept sports bettors.
- Colorado – It is legal. Sports betting on site within Colorado borders will begin May 2020.
FAQ
Even though sports betting is currently illegal in the state of Arizona, lots of players choose to gamble in offshore online sportsbooks instead. Regardless of where a site is located, anyone in Arizona looking to gamble and place a wager on sports will have to be a minimum of 21 years of age.
Although there may be some sites that accept players younger than 21 years of age, it is always recommended to follow local gambling age requirements.
In general, players are required to sign up to the site and go through a registration process that verifies their identity (and confirm they are of legal age to gamble). In order to do this, everyone is required to send a valid photo ID in the form of a driver’s license, state card, or passport.
Once the process is complete, players will have to deposit funds into their personal account on the site through wire transfer, credit card, or cryptocurrency. When the funds have cleared, players are free to make a wager on their favorite games and teams. To get the hang of betting on individual sites, there will be a slew of help pages with detailed information.
Online sports betting is quick, easy, and convenient. Players can place multiple bets on games in seconds, which makes many a little worried about keeping their gambling in check. To help site members stay in control, many sites have a customer support team who are ready to help, along with third-party help lines listed on the site.
Another trick that lots of gamblers do is create a budget solely for sports betting. Instead of spending money anytime they feel like it, players will often set aside an amount of money they would be comfortable losing (if worse comes to worst). A budget will allow some gambling freedom without the potential to become a stressful situation that could affect their comfort in everyday life.
Even if sports are on hold or a season ends, there are plenty of betting options available online. With options from all over the world, offshore sports betting sites will have something for everyone out there. From international traditional sports games to more modern esports, all of the major sites will have a good variety of betting options available 365 days a year.
