Sports betting in Arizona is now live and legal. It has been open for business since September 2021. The state has a variety of competitive sportsbooks and is already recording high activity.
In the first months, the sportsbooks booked $1.75 billion in wagers. Sportsbooks in the state use attractive bonuses, a variety of games, and good customer service to attract players from within and outside the state.
The governor of Arizona, Doug Ducey, spoke of his agreement with the clans with special gambling operation rights. He also spoke of plans to manage bets on fantasy leagues and keno games.
These new partnerships didn’t require voter approval. The governor sought opportunities to pave the way for fantasy league betting, instant keno gaming, and countrywide commercial gambling.
The first year of legal operation was better than expected
As reported by online-gambling.com, the Arizona sports betting industry did better than expected in the first year. In September 2021, Arizona became the biggest state in the west to go live with retail and digital event betting. Authorities were pleasantly surprised by the pent-up demand for event wagering. The Arizona making has everything it takes to thrive.
In just 82 days, Arizona operators became the fastest in United States history to hit a handle of $1 billion. They reached $4 billion in just eight months. In March, Arizona sports betting lovers wagered $691 million. The total wagers in DraftKings surpassed $1 billion.
Other operators with a considerable market share include FanDuel, BetMGM, and DraftKings.
Arizona has always been crazy about sports
Arizona has a population of about 7.3 million and is one of the most populous states that allow wagering. Its population has always been enthusiastic about sports.
After all, it is home to the NBA Phoenix Suns, the NHL Phoenix Coyotes, the NFL Arizona Cardinals, and the MLB Arizona Diamondbacks. Few states are as sports-crazy as Arizona. It is no surprise that the sports betting industry has grown so fast.
With the NFL season, the final round of the PGA’s Phoenix Open, and the Super Bowl coming up, the industry is projected to keep growing. During the sports season, more sports lovers will be flocking to Arizona. The NFL appears to be a fantastic partner for the state.
The turnaround was pretty quick
Former Arizona governor, Doug Ducey, signed the wagering bill into law in April 2021. This move set off a five-month run for the ADOG and operators. While Arizona may not have been the fastest state to go live, it had a pretty fast turnaround.
Arizona legislators’ move to legalize was unique. It called for 20 licenses that allow retail and digital wagering. The licenses were split for the state’s tribes and professional venues.
Ten of the tribal licenses are assigned, and eight are tied to sports venues. Three teams already have strong partnerships: the WNBA Mercury (Bally Bet), the Suns (FanDuel), and the Indoor Football League Arizona Rattlers (Rush Street Interactive). However, FanDuel is the only one with an in-person sportsbook.
Right from the start, it was clear that Arizona legislators were striving for equality. However, too many licenses were allotted to professional franchises, and there weren’t enough for tribes.
In 2022, a bill seeking to allow every tribe access to a license was filed. However, it didn’t move.
The future of Arizona sports betting
Arizona loves sports and sports betting in general. Fans overwhelmingly bet on their hometown teams. Although it may be a little late to the party, Arizona has already surpassed $5 billion in the handle.
This is fantastic news for sportsbook operators. Here are a few things to expect in the future of Arizona sports betting.
1. Decentralized platforms
Decentralized sports betting platforms have plenty of benefits. One of their biggest benefits is that they promote smart betting. Unlike traditional bookmakers, the platforms offer a variety of methods to earn. If you aren’t willing to take risks, you can take advantage of low-risk options.
These platforms promote transparency and lower the risk of manipulating payouts or odds. Suspicious activities are quickly detected and addressed.
2. The rise of robots, cryptocurrency, and AI
Technological advances will likely transform Arizona’s sports betting industry over time. AI and robots will take online betting to wild levels. The best bettors in the future will be bots. They will take advantage of specialized algorithms and data to make the best picks.
Many such apps are already available in the market. However, the future could introduce bots that use data from unexpected sources, including microchips in stadium cameras, helmets, and balls. They move across the field and track players.
Cryptocurrency and VR are making their way into sports betting as well. Many NBA teams already use VR technology to virtually put you on the floor.
Blockchain has introduced an extra layer of security into online sports betting. Crypto payments are fast, private, and easy to complete. More Arizona casinos will accept them in the future.
3. Microbetting
Microbetting takes advantage of machine learning to wager on short periods and events that are easy to follow. Experienced bettors would probably love to keep track of two players’ rebounds, total points, or assists.
However, those simply looking to have fun would probably enjoy betting on whether Steph Curry will make his next three-point try. Microbetting is predicted to get more popular as it adds a layer of fun to the betting experience.
Conclusion
The debut of sports betting in Arizona put a cap to legislative chaos stretching back to 2019. Legislators had proposed multiple bills during each session, but for one reason or the other, they weren’t successful. Their success in 2021 was welcome by both industry stakeholders and gambling enthusiasts. Arizona hit over $1 billion in wagers faster than most states, and its success has been incredible.
The Arizona sports betting industry has come a long way. However, it is expected to keep changing over the years. Arizona has one of the fastest-growing markets. It won’t be long before industry players take advantage of new technologies to stay competitive.
