Arizona Awards Wagering Licenses to Plannatech, Sporttrade

It might have taken longer than expected, but the Arizona sports betting scene has welcomed a pair of newcomers into the fold.

The Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG) announced Friday it has awarded event wagering licenses to Plannatech, representing the San Carlos Apache Tribal Gaming Enterprise; and Sporttrade, representing the Quechan Indian Tribe of the Fort Yuma Indian Reservation.

According to the news release, the ADG allocated the licenses following a competitive application process that ran from July 8 to July 19. Sportsbook operators were given 31 days' notice to prepare their applications after the ADG announced on June 7 that it would begin considering applicants for available event wagering licenses.

The state has 20 available licenses in total, split evenly between tribal casinos and professional sports franchises. With the introduction of Sporttrade and Plannatech, Arizona now has 18 active market operators, fulfilling all ten of its tribal-tethered licenses. The state still has room for two more professional sports franchises to claim event wagering licenses.

Replacing UniBet and WynnBet

A licensing partnership with the Quechan Tribe became available following UniBet’s exit from the state in February 2023, despite fulfilling only three years of its ten-year contract. The brand failed to take off with customers in the US and Canada.

Similarly, WynnBet’s exit from the Arizona betting market in August 2023 left space for a new sportsbook to partner with the San Carlos Apache Tribe. Julie Cameron-Doe, Wynn Resorts’ CFO, attributed the increased cost of advertising to its Arizona exit.

According to the ADG’s September 2023 sports betting report, DraftKings and FanDuel had, and still have, a joint dominance over the Arizona betting market, with third and fourth-position sportsbooks Caesars and BetMGM receiving just over 5% of wagers.

Other Operators Also Exiting the Market

In the two months since the ADG opened the door to new applicants, three sportsbooks have announced their departure from the Arizona market. SaharaBets owner Alex Mereulo was unable to secure a second license sponsor after the franchise’s previous pro sports partner, the Arizona Coyotes, announced they would be relocating to Utah.

SuperBook, which was partnered with the Fort Mojave Indian Tribe, stopped taking bets on July 19 and closed down all operations outside of Nevada. Arizona was also one of nine states from which Malta-based sportsbook Betway quit in order to focus on its iGaming operations.

About Sporttrade

Sporttrade is an exchange-based sports betting platform that entered the US market in September 2022, launching in New Jersey and then expanding to Colorado and Iowa in 2023. Betting on Sporttrade’s innovative platform works similarly to buying stocks or crypto. Unlike traditional sportsbook platforms, Sporttrade features multiple market makers who compete to offer the best prices.

However, exchange betting is not yet legal in all states. While Sporttrade can offer its sports betting exchange to New Jersey bettors, it operates as a traditional sportsbook in Iowa and Colorado. Laws surrounding the legality of exchange betting are not entirely clear in Arizona, so it’s likely that Sporttrade will operate only as a sportsbook when it goes live in the state.