Arizona Aims for Sept 2021 Sports Betting Launch

• AZ Cardinals (with BetMGM) First NFL Team to Announce Stadium Sportsbook Plans 
• Arizona State Leaders Plan for September 2021 Launch, Cardinals/BetMGM for 2022
• Other Arizona Pro Teams and Venues Have Also Announced Sportsbook Plans

AZ Cardinals (with BetMGM) First NFL Team to Announce Stadium Sportsbook Plans

Last week, the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals revealed they were now teaming up with BetMGM, the Nevada-based sports betting and online gaming platform, becoming the first NFL franchise to announce plans to house a sportsbook in their home venue, State Farm Stadium.

Also included in BetMGM’s plans are the Gila River Hotels and Casinos located in Chandler and Laveen Arizona, following through on its plans to target the US sports gambling market in states like Arizona where such endeavors are becoming legal.

Industry insiders like Max Bichsel, vice president of BetArizona.com, see the state as a potential gambling gold mine, especially given all the existing (and lucrative) in-person and online casinos, professional sports teams, and venues located in the area.

The Arizona market has many positive characteristics to help it mature quickly and the basic framework for sports betting in the state constitutes a win for all parties, including mobile operators regarding ample total license availability, sports teams concerning license eligibility, and tribes, who can offer gaming options outside of tribal boundaries for the first time.

The only glitch is that these plans could take some time to implement.

AZ State Leaders Plan for September 2021 Launch, Cardinals/BetMGM for 2022

State leaders in Arizona still have plans to launch its legal sports betting operation in time for the September start of the 2021 pro football season, as Bichsel told the press earlier.

The [Arizona] Department of Gaming is working very quickly to ensure that it’s up and running by the NFL season.

Unfortunately, some of the newer gambling partnerships forming in the Grand Canyon State could take more time to become operational.

For example, the Arizona Cardinals and BetMGM have made it clear that they are hoping for a launch date in time for the start of the 2022 NFL season to take full advantage of Super Bowl LVII, which will be played at State Farm Stadium on Sunday, February 12, 2023.

Meanwhile, other Arizona gambling partnerships with pro teams and venues are also forming.

Other Arizona Pro Teams and Venues Have Also Announced Sportsbook Plans

In an effort to take advantage of existing sports bettor traffic, many sportsbooks have already made plans to partner up with pro teams and venues in the Copper State, like the Historic Pairing Between Bally’s, Phoenix Mercury Begins that we reported on previously.

Other potentially lucrative Arizona gambling partnerships have been announced in the exciting leadup to legal sports betting, including between:

• FanDuel Sportsbook and the Phoenix Suns’ Footprint Center
• DraftKings Sportsbook and the host course of the PGA’s Waste Management Phoenix Open, TPC Scottsdale
• Caesars Sportsbook and the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Chase Field
• Barstool Sportsbook and the Phoenix Raceway

Expect legal sports betting in Arizona to officially kick off on September 9, the start of the 2021 NFL season, but it will obviously take some more time for operators and partnerships to get their physical and electronic systems fully set up so keep checking back here for all the latest updates.