Arizona sports betting is taking another big step this week as the state continues to set up the industry. Last week, the Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG) posted the first draft of sports betting rules online.
There was a slight delay in the posting as the ADG needed to take an additional day to get things squared away. Now that the rules are posted, the public and other stakeholders can post comments or make suggestions.
The ADG has been holding virtual sessions since last Friday, and they break down the rules for anyone that wants to attend. One meeting each day deals with the DFS industry, while the other focuses on sports betting.
The hope is that not many amendments will need to be made, and that would keep the momentum going in the next few weeks. There are four key areas that the ADG is looking to nail down, and that is where the comments and opinions are wanted.
The four areas that are being discussed are tax rate, license allocation, number of skins, and licensing fees. Lawmakers included language to cover some of this information in the bill, but the ADG can head in a different direction.
It is expected that there will be 20 sports betting licenses available in the state when the industry launches. Ten of these licenses will go to Native American tribes and the other ten will go to professional sports teams.
Both online and retail betting can be offered by any party that holds a sports betting license. Experts have predicted that Arizona could generate up to $155 million each year in revenue.
The Arizona Secretary of State will file the official rules after they are complete, and that could happen by the end of the month. A form to submit a public comment can be found on the ADG website and those will be accepted through June 21.
September 9: Target Launch Date
September 9 is the opening date of the 2021 NFL season, and that is also when Arizona plans to launch sports betting. Other states have selected similar dates as the NFL is the biggest betting market in the United States.
The Arizona Department of Gaming is going to have to work quickly if it plans on staying on track to meet the launch date. Getting the rules approved is just one small step, but the ADG will also have to roll out the application process soon.
How this process will work has not yet been outlined by the ADG, but it will have 60 days to make a decision on an application. This means that all applications must be submitted by July 11 if the operators hope to launch on September 9.
Caesars, DraftKings, and FanDuel will be three of the operators submitting a license when it becomes available as each operator has already entered the state through a partnership. The Arizona Cardinals have not yet announced an official sports betting partner, but that will happen before sports betting is launched.
