State Senator Sally Ann Gonzales has introduced a bill that will give a retail and mobile sports betting license to all Arizona tribes and allow them to open sportsbooks on non-reservation land.
Currently only 10 tribal licenses are available, although there are 23 gaming tribes. The licenses are for “event wagering.” Ten are allocated for professional sports groups and 10 retail-only licenses for racetracks. There are less than 10 sports franchises that meet the criteria.
The land would need to be within a five block radius of a professional stadium. which stipulates retail sportsbooks must be located “on land that is not identified as Indian land pursuant to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.”
This will rectify the mistake of not settling aside enough license for all the tribes from the beginning in the law that was passed last April.
Only five states, Arizona included, allows professional sports organizations to have sports betting licenses. The new bill would allow any operator—including tribal— to also open retail sportsbooks within five blocks of the stadium.
