Deep in the desert, close to the gambling hotbed of Nevada lies Arizona. A state full of retirees, golf course and sports franchises, Arizona has tons of potential for online gambling. However, to date, it finds itself one of the more conservative states when it comes to this topic. With all the discussion around the country regarding plans to legalize different forms of online betting, there is reason to be optimistic that this will make its way to Arizona.
This site is focused not only on what online gambling is available in Arizona but also meant to give you a primer on the industry as a whole. Spend some time in these pages and you will be the most knowledgeable gambler in your group, we promise!
Online Sports Betting
Let’s start with the hottest topic in gambling not only in the United States but across the globe – regulated sports betting in U.S. States! Since the repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act by the Supreme Court in May 2018, individual states have been racing to add sports betting to their gaming rosters. In Arizona, a couple of small tribal groups decided not to wait for the state government to come up with regulations instead adding retail sportsbooks under their interpretation of the gaming compact they have with the state.
These sportsbooks have not yet been challenged, and in fact, in early 2020, a bill was introduced that would make for an expanded sports betting offering across the state. This would only be at a retail level, however, as there is nothing in the bill about online or mobile wagering.
At this point, the good news is that the discussion is headed in the right direction. While you wait for online sports betting to become legal in Arizona, now is the perfect time to learn more about how to be a smart bettor. Check out the articles our experts have written on different types of sports bets and how the math works for each of them, as well as a guide to sports betting in general.
Online Casino Games
In the late 1990s, casino games were first offered online around the world. In the United States, access to these games came from offshore-based companies, and only a handful of states have regulated the games since their inception. Arizona is not one of those states, so even though there are 24 casinos in the state, no slot machines or table games can be played for real money online in the state.
If you happen to be traveling to a state or country where online casino games are legal, or if you want to try one of the social casinos that are open for business to Arizona residents, our Online Casino section will teach you all the rules of the games you will find (this also applies to games you will find at land-based casinos). Once you learn the basics, you can use social casinos to practice the games, and when you are ready to play for real money, you will be in a much better position to take advantage of the rules to try to gain an edge and be a winning player. By the time online casino games are legal in your state, you will be a seasoned veteran!
Daily Fantasy Sports
Arizona is one of the few states that have taken an official stance on these fantasy sites like Draft Kings and Fanduel. According to state law, any site that charges real money for daily fantasy sports contests is deemed to be illegal, so at this stage, there are no DFS sites available for Arizona residents to join and play.
Online Poker
Poker has seen immense growth in popularity over the last couple of decades. The majority of the growth has come from the introduction of mass televised poker events and from the popularity of playing poker online. Unfortunately for Americans who loved to play online poker, this option all but disappeared in 2011 when the DoJ shut down the major offshore sites offering games to U.S. players. In the years since a handful of states have introduced regulated online poker, but Arizona continues to sit on the sidelines.
The good news for online poker enthusiasts in Arizona is that there are still some options open to you. If you are willing to travel to neighboring Nevada, you can play online at one of its sanctioned sites (and you could even win a WSOP bracelet online during the event!). There are still social sites like Zynga offering games which at the very least will help you practice. Finally, subscription sites like Club WPT allow you to enter an unlimited number of tournaments for one monthly fee, including satellites to land-based World Poker Tour events!
Our poker team has written an entire section of rules, tips, and tricks for you to help you learn more about the game and give you the skills to improve your play so you might find yourself playing on television one day!
Online Lottery
Arizona has the population demographic that is perfect for playing the lottery, and that can be seen in the annual report published by the State Lottery every year. Games like Powerball and Mega Millions that draw from across the country, as well as draw games and scratchers that are available locally, make for a very popular pastime for Arizona residents. However, similarly to many other states, the sale of lottery tickets is restricted to retail locations, with no online sites open for sales at this time. Some states have warmed to the idea of allowing players to buy lottery subscriptions online, so there is some hope that this will make its way to Arizona shortly. For now, you are limited to heading to a retailer to buy your chance at becoming an instant multimillionaire!
Online Horse Racing Betting in Arizona
The horse racing industry is alive and well in Arizona! There are several racetracks in the state offering live races, and with every race comes the opportunity to bet on the winners! The good news for residents of Arizona is that online horse racing betting is one of the only types of online gambling that is currently legal in the state. Now, the rules are a bit odd, as local tracks themselves are not allowed to run the online sites, but sites like TVG and Twinspires are open to players from Arizona.
Our Horse Racing Guide will walk you through the registration process with these sites as well as giving you a primer on how each of the bets works as it can be a daunting task to read a racing form and decide on what horse to bet.
Arizona Online Gambling FAQ
When will online sports betting be legal in Arizona?
It is difficult to say when lawmakers in Arizona will pass sports betting legislation. Currently, there is a bill on the table being discussed that would make betting on sports legal at casinos across the state, but online betting is not included in the current version of the bill. The bill will likely be debated, and the benefits of betting online will be discussed before any final bill makes it to the floor of the House for a vote. Fingers crossed that this will happen in 2020.
I received an ad for an offshore casino. Can I play there?
Nothing is stopping you legally from playing at one of the hundreds of online casinos that are hosted outside the country but can be accessed by Arizona IP addresses. However, you have an added layer of risk associated with playing at any offshore gaming site. With no U.S. law to adhere to, you are at the mercy of the site operator, which means if something happens to your account or you have an issue, you have no leg to stand on from an Arizona legal perspective. While we know they are an option, we would suggest you find an alternative to playing at one of these sites.
If I go to Nevada, can I bet online from there?
Absolutely. If you travel to any state where forms of online gambling are legal, you are more than welcome to head to an approved site and create an online account. You can also fund your account online (in most cases) and then play from your computer or mobile device. As these sites are geofenced, you may not be able to access your account when you leave the borders of the approved state, so bear that in mind if you are planning to withdraw money before you make your way back to Arizona.