The Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG) has announced it will start accepting applications for up to three new event wagering licenses starting in August. The process will be open to Arizona Tribes (one license) and sports franchises (two licenses) in the state, in accordance with the relevant statutes.
To ensure transparency and accessibility, the Arizona Department of Gaming will publish updated application forms and guidelines on its website on 14 July. Aspiring applicants are strongly encouraged to carefully review the provided materials to understand the application process and the necessary requirements.
The department will also host an informational webinar on 17 July to provide prospective applicants with key insights into the application process, offer clarifications, and address any queries they may have, the regulator said.
Prospective applicants must be prepared as the application window for event wagering licenses will open on 1 August 2023 and will close on 15 August 2023. All completed applications must be submitted within this timeframe to be eligible for consideration, the Arizona Department of Gaming highlighted.
— Arizona Department of Gaming (@AzGaming) June 30, 2023
After applications are submitted, the department will conduct a thorough evaluation of all received proposals, adhering to the established criteria outlined in the state’s event wagering rules and statutes. Applicants that qualify for a license will be told of the determination on August 29.
If there are more applicants that qualify than there are available licenses, supplemental allocation applications will be taken in accordance with state rules before the final selections are made, notes Phoenix Business Journal.
Arizona’s original rules provided for a total of 20 event wagering licenses, with 10 of those set aside for Arizona tribes and the other 10 for Arizona sports franchises. There currently are 17 licenses issued in Arizona for sports betting apps, meaning the three upcoming ones will bring the state to its maximum.
New licensees will join a sports betting market that continues to show signs of growth, with the ADG’s latest monthly report revealing activity up 4.5% year over year. The state delivered a $537.7 million handle in April, even as the start of a slower sporting events calendar meant lower month-over-month numbers.
