Guide to Arizona Betting: Where are the Best Arizona Sports Betting sites?

If you’re based in Arizona and you’re hoping to get in on the fun sweeping the nation, we’re sorry to reveal that there are no Arizona sports betting sites. This is because wagering on sports still remains illegal in Arizona, with the only sports betting options available for locals being unlawful and unsafe.

Because we can’t give tips on what the best Arizona online sportsbooks are, we have instead discussed the future outlook for sports betting and other forms of gambling in the state. We have also looked at what other markets with legal sports betting look like to help identify what it could be like in AZ if legalization occurs.

Current Arizona Sports Betting Situation

For the time being, Arizona sports betting sites are illegal. However, there have been a number of efforts since 2018 that have proven that some lawmakers are committed to allowing residents to wager on their favorite sports games. The first attempt was made in early 2019, when a bill was proposed to allow sports betting in local bars and tribal casinos. The bill failed.

Then in 2020, two separate bills with a similar aim to bring sports betting to the state were introduced, both with different features. One bill again seeks to only allow tribal gaming enterprises to offer sportsbooks at casinos, while the other would allow for betting at retail locations, horse tracks and tribal casinos.

Both bills have proven to be divisive, with tribal groups disliking one bill for allowing non-tribal licensees to offer sportsbooks, while disliking the other bill for not properly dealing with complex legalization issues. Arizona remains quite a conservative state when it comes to gambling laws and may not budge at all. Until the matter is sorted, many Arizona players bet with out-of-state bookies or off-shore betting sites, though these are illegal.

Are Arizona Daily Fantasy Sports Apps Available

Odds are, you want to play DFS. Arizona players can not access Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) apps such as DraftKings and FanDuel because under state law, DFS is a form of gambling. As most forms of gambling are expressly forbidden in the state unless done on tribal grounds, the road to legalize daily fantasy sports betting is also likely to be an uphill battle in Arizona.

The debate as to whether or not DFS constitutes a gambling game of chance or a skill-based game has been argued from state to state across the country. As of 2020, 22 states have officially legalized DFS on the grounds it is a game of skill, while many others allow DFS without creating laws to address its legality. Only a select few states have outright banned DFS, including Arizona.

To play DFS, players are to draft a fantasy lineup of players from major sports leagues while sticking below a set. At the end of each week, players earn points based on the performance of their drafted players in real-life games. Because players must rely on thorough research about players and games to consistently win, many have distinguished these games from gambling on events with random outcomes.

Arizona Online Casinos

It is explicitly forbidden for Arizona players to bet at online casinos, so there are no AZ online sportsbooks. However, players are welcome to play free-play social game versions of casino game classics such as slot machines, video poker, roulette and blackjack. Arizona also allows for players to play sweepstakes games.

Sweepstakes games are a kind of free-play social casino game that give winning players the chance to win a range of prizes, including cash jackpots. These games are technically legal as players don’t bet real money to play, so they don’t risk any cash on the random outcome, so odds are you have played this.

For those wanting to play slot machines and table games at land-based casinos, fortunately Arizona has more than 30 tribal casinos. These establishments, such as the massive Casino Arizona and Desert Diamond Casino offer visitors the chance to play slots and table games, as well as bingo.

Online State Lottery in Arizona

Fortunately, Arizona offers its residents a statewide lottery. The rules of the lottery are set by the Arizona Lottery Commission, which also helps to determine how revenues will be spent. As far as local games go, players can enjoy many state-only draw games and scratchers that potentially offer huge jackpots. Of course, the Mega Millions and Powerball national draws are also open to Arizona players, giving locals the chance to win minimum jackpots from $40 million. Tickets can only be purchased at physical retail locations.

Off Track Horse Betting in Arizona

For those who want to bet on sports but are unable to due to Arizona’s laws, you may want to consider betting on horse or dog racing. Arizona is one of the few states in the nation that offers a year-round racing circuit at a number of hugely popular racetracks. Both on-track and off-track betting is legal, with bets being able to be placed at many bars and restaurants around the state. There are roughly 60 off-track betting facilities located across the state, which suggests to us that locals would likely be enthusiastic if sports betting was legalized.

What Would Legal Sports Betting in Arizona Look Like

Depending on which of the proposed sports betting bills is favoured by lawmakers, sports bets in Arizona would revolutionize the local gambling industry. No matter what bill may be adopted, players will be required to place bets at physical sportsbooks as opposed to with Arizona online bookies, so the odds are there will unfortunately be no US sports betting sites. It appears that of the two bills, the one that is more favoured is the one that seeks to grant tribal casinos exclusive rights to offering sportsbooks. However, as a number of other states have proven in the past, sports betting that is limited in scope to a physical sportsbook only tend to not perform as well as mobile and physical betting capabilities.

Whatever the case, Arizona players could expect to place a sports bet on the outcomes of major league sports games such as the NFL, NBA, MLB and MLS. Some states even allow for bets on esports such as League of Legends or Fortnite. Of course, Arizona players are likely to enjoy betting on the games of Arizona Cardinals or Phoenix Suns. As a part of the legalization process, Arizona sports betting would be regulated by a state gambling authority, which would ensure that player safety is protected. There is no word yet on how much tax revenues could be generated by legal sports betting, though we’d expect Arizona’s sports-loving residents would embrace the opportunity and offer.

Final Thoughts

Could it be that AZ sports betting sites will soon become a reality? We sure hope so. As it currently appears, lawmakers in both the lower House and Senate are seriously considering the changes in law, which could in turn inspire a move towards expanded gambling in the once anti-gambling state. If the laws aren’t changed this year, we expect that the prospect will not be dropped any time soon and Arizona online sportsbooks will soon be available. For now, Arizona players can freely enjoy the lottery and horse race betting, as well as full-scale casino gaming at one of the many tribal casinos.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you still have questions regarding Arizona sports betting sites and how they may be set to chance in the future, we have you covered in this bonus section. Below, we’ve answered some commonly asked questions to help clear up any confusion about the legality of gambling in the state.