The topic of sports betting has been discussed for a few months in Arizona, but it appears that a decision is coming soon. Lawmakers believe that they have enough support to pass a sports betting bill through both chambers of the state legislature and send it to the desk of Governor Doug Ducey.
Ducey has already expressed support for sports betting, and he would quickly sign any piece of legislation that winds up on his desk. There are actually a pair of bills heading for an official vote, and both bills are needed to legalize the industry.
SB 1797 includes both daily fantasy sports and sports betting, and it has been moved out of committee and to the Senate Floor. HB 2772 will also be voted on soon, and this helps establish some ground rules and regulations for sports betting.
Pro Teams Providing Support
Lawmakers in Arizona got plenty of support when looking to legalize sports betting, including from the top professional sports teams in the state. This same thing has occurred in other states looking to legalize, and pro teams have something to gain from the launch of the new industry.
Joining the professional sports teams to back legal sports betting was the PGA Tour, the Phoenix Raceway, and some of the top sportsbooks in the industry. Retail sportsbooks could potentially be set up at the stadiums of pro teams in Arizona, and those would likely become some of the top betting locations in the state.
NASCAR and the PGA Tour both have a strong presence in the state of Arizona, and each league would also be eligible to obtain a sports betting license.
Not Much Competition Around
The size of Arizona and the number of professional sports teams will help make the market a big one, but there is another important factor at play as well. There aren’t many states with legal sports betting around Arizona, and the Southwest portion of the US is looking for a leader.
There are a handful of Native American tribes in New Mexico that offer sports betting, even though state lawmakers have yet to legalize the industry. Texas would become a major threat to Arizona, but that state looks to be years away from moving towards sports betting legislation.
Several States Looking to Make Move
2020 was a big year for the US sports betting industry, and 2021 could be even bigger. Arizona is obviously looking to legalize sports betting, and two other states have already done so.
South Dakota and Wyoming have already had sports betting bills signed by their respective governors, and sports betting should launch at some point later in 2021. These won’t be the only two states, and a number of states on the East Coast have been taking significant steps.
Connecticut and Massachusetts should be able to get a bill passed in the weeks, and Maryland is a solid pick as well. By the end of 2021, legal sports betting could be available in close to 30 states in the US.
