Arizona Governor Kevin Ducey signed a sports betting bill into law on Thursday, and Daily Fantasy Sports was also included in the package. This was the final step in legalizing the new industry, and a large ceremony was held at The Heard Museum for the signing of the bill.
SB 1797 was the piece of legislation that made it all the way to the governor’s desk after being approved by the Senate with a 23-6-1 vote. Lawmakers in the state have spent weeks working to legalize sports betting this year, and Governor Ducey has been in support of this from the beginning.
Also included in this bill was a 20-year extension for the current gaming compacts with tribal nations. Native American tribes in Arizona will be eligible to offer sports betting as part of this package as well.
Arizona could become large sports betting market thanks to the number of popular professional teams in the state. These teams, along with the PGA Tour, helped push this piece of legislation through and will now help to drive the industry.
FanDuel, Suns Strike Deal
Just a few hours after the bill was signed by Ducey, FanDuel announced a multi-year sports betting partnership with the Phoenix Suns. FanDuel will be opening up a retail casino at the Phoenix Suns Arena, and it will also become an official DFS partner of the team.
There will be sports betting kiosks set up at the arena, and fans can also place bets through their mobile device during games. These two groups will also be setting up a new campaign aimed to promote responsible sports betting.
DraftKings Working With PGA Tour
The announcement from FanDuel came just one day after its biggest competitor, DraftKings, also announced a major sports betting partnership with the PGA Tour. This deal is also tied to the Waste Management Open, which is one of the biggest golf stops on the PGA Tour each season.
The PGA Tour has taken an aggressive approach into the US sports betting industry in recent months, and the launch of sports betting in Arizona could provide plenty of revenue. Both of these deals will have to be approved by state regulators, but that is not expected to be an issue.
NFL Season a Target
An official launch date for sports betting has not been set, but lawmakers and regulators are hoping to have things in place by the start of September. This would allow sportsbooks to launch just in time for NFL Football, which is always the biggest betting market in the US.
The Arizona Department of Gaming has been put in charge of overseeing sports betting, and it must create rules and regulations before any licenses can be issued. This has taken several months in other states, but there is hope that it can be done quickly in Arizona.
The Arizona Cardinals are one of the top betting picks to win the Super Bowl this season, and sports betting could soon be available at the stadium for home games.
