Gambling in Arizona

Gambling has a long history in Arizona, dating back to the territorial days when saloons and card games were commonplace. Today, the state has a thriving gambling industry that offers a range of options, including casinos, horse and dog racing, and the state lottery. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, betting on horse and dog racing was also popular, as well as cockfighting and other forms of animal-based betting. By the 1930s, however, the state began cracking down on gambling, and by the 1950s, most forms of gambling were illegal.

In the 1980s, however, the state began to relax its gambling laws, and in 1988, the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act was passed, allowing Native American tribes to operate casinos on their lands. Today, there are over 20 casinos throughout the state, operated by various tribes. Tribal casinos in Arizona are listed below.

Current Gambling Legislation in Arizona:

In Arizona, gambling is regulated by the Arizona Department of Gaming, which oversees the state lottery, horse and dog racing, and tribal casinos. The state lottery was first introduced in 1980 and offers a range of games, including scratch-off tickets and multi-state lotteries like Powerball and Mega Millions.

Horse and dog racing are also legal in the state, with three tracks operating in Phoenix and Tucson. In 2018, a bill was signed into law allowing tracks to offer off-track betting on races from other tracks across the country.

As for casino gambling, tribes in Arizona are allowed to operate slot machines, table games, and poker, as long as they have a compact with the state. Currently, there are 24 tribes with compacts, and together, they operate more than 20 casinos throughout the state.

However, in 2021, a new law was passed that allows for sports betting to be offered at tribal casinos in the state. The law also allows for daily fantasy sports and keno games to be offered by the tribes. It’s unclear when sports betting will begin in the state, as the regulations and licensing process are still being worked out.

The Future of Casino and Online Casino Gambling:

While Arizona’s gambling industry is currently thriving, there are ongoing discussions about the future of casino and online casino gambling in the state. One of the biggest debates is whether or not to legalize online casino gambling.

Currently, online casino gambling is not legal in Arizona, and there are no bills currently being considered that would change that. However, given the growing popularity of online gambling in other states, it’s possible that Arizona may eventually follow suit. Another issue that has been raised is the possibility of allowing commercial casinos to operate in the state. Currently, only tribal casinos are allowed to operate in Arizona, but some lawmakers and business groups have pushed for the legalization of commercial casinos as a way to boost tourism and revenue.

However, this proposal has been met with opposition from the tribes, who argue that it would violate their compacts with the state and could lead to the loss of jobs and revenue for their communities.

Overall, the future of casino and online casino gambling in Arizona is uncertain, but it’s clear that the industry will continue to evolve and adapt to changing technologies and regulations. Whether or not the state will allow for online gambling or commercial casinos remains to be seen, but for now, the tribal casinos are a major player in the state’s gambling industry and will likely continue to be for the foreseeable future.