The recent agreement on tribal state gaming compacts between Arizona and its tribes means that the Ak-Chin Community and its partner Harrah’s can expand the casinos they operate.
Ak-Chin Indian Community Chairman Robert Miguel said at a recent webinar hosted by the National Indian Gaming Association, “We can dream a little bigger now. We can offer more services.”
The 1,100 member Ak-Chin tribe plans to add sports betting to the gaming it offers. It will also be able to add craps, and roulette, among other new table games.
The tribe also plans to buy back some of the more than 25,000 acres that was taken away from it in 1912. With that additional land they want to build a second casino, which is allowed by the new compact.
Miguel added, “Even though the compact is in place and we’re trying to figure how to use that to its max, we also are starting to sit down and figure out what comes next, to have a dream and vision about what gaming looks like going forward.” He continued, “Right now, looking at development, we want to make it more of a family destination. There are a lot of great options, and one I can elaborate on, when Ak-Chin went into compact negotiations with the state, about 25 years ago, Ak-Chin was able to have a second casino, but leaders at the time thought there was no need for that, so we took it out of the negotiations. But I want to revisit that. There’s a need to be able to grow land-based-wise.”
The company that runs the tribe’s sportsbook is likely to be William Hill, since it has a partnership with Caesars, which operates all Harrah’s casinos.
The state’s 20 tribes will have 10 mobile licenses to operate between them, as well as being able to offer retail sportsbook at their brick and mortar casinos.
