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Online gambling in Arizona – what's legal

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Checked by Lorella F.Geraldine S.

Online gambling in Arizona is on the rise and people want answers — what’s legal in the state? Is it truly safe to play online? Which sites offer the best experience? 

On this page, we aim to answer these questions for you, starting with a list of sites we recommend. We then dive into the legalities of the state and how to choose an Arizona online gambling site that guarantees a safe (and legal) gambling experience.

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Players in the Grand Canyon State are likely to have one big question in their mind: “is online gambling legal in Arizona?” Each US state has the freedom to regulate online gambling in any way it pleases, so laws regarding New Jersey gambling will differ wildly from those for, say, Tennessee online gambling.

Sports betting in Arizona is legal since April 2021. But if you are in search of the best online gambling sites in Arizona, we have mixed news for you. Real money casino games are illegal.

What if you wish to access online gambling sites in Arizona? Sweeps cash casinos and social casinos offer a solution. These platforms do not allow you to play for real money, but they do feature tons of quality casino games, all of which are entertaining.

In terms of the legal Arizona gambling age, if you wish to bet on sports, you have to be at least 21 years old. Online gambling is illegal, hence, there’s no legal age. The legal age for retail gambling is 21.

Gambling verticalOffline legal ageOnline legal ageOnline since
Casinos21N/AN/A
Social casinosN/A21April 2021
Sportsbooks2121April 2021
Social betting apps2121April 2021
Poker21N/AN/A
Lottery21N/A1981

Online sports betting — legal in Arizona since 2021

The only legal online gambling Arizona form is sports betting. Up until recently, the only way that residents in this country could place bets was via retail sportsbooks.

However, all of that changed once online sports betting became legal in April 2021, and operators submitted applications to the Arizona Department of Gaming within three months. On September 9, 2021, Arizona online betting went live with seven operators offering their services to the residents.

According to state law, the Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG) is able to issue 20 mobile licenses. Ten of those licenses go to tribal operators, and 10 go to professional sports entities.

Social casinos — the best alternative to online casinos in AZ

If you’re asking yourself ‘is online gambling legal in Arizona’, the answer is that you can’t access Arizona online gambling sites to play for real money. However, if Arizona casinos with games like slots, poker, baccarat, and roulette games are your niche, there is a way to enjoy these games in the most legal way.

Residents in the Canyon State can play at social casinos without falling foul of the law. This form of legal online gambling Arizona differs from playing at real money casinos for sure, but the fun is the same.

As the term itself suggests, social Arizona gambling sites do not allow you to play for real money. You don’t need to put down a cash wager to play games, however some sweeps cash casinos will return real prizes upon winning.

There are tons of reputable social casinos that operate in Arizona, but after a thorough check, our experts were able to find the best ones, which are listed below.

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Online poker — available at social casinos

Poker is undoubtedly among the most popular casino games. In states where real money gambling is legal, virtually all online casinos feature standard and live poker variants. One of the reasons why players are fond of this game is that it requires a lot of skill to master.

Now, considering the fact that real money online gambling in Arizona is illegal, you cannot enjoy poker at online casinos. However, some social casinos feature this game. Not only that, but they offer several variants of the game, making for a diverse experience.

Other forms of gambling in Arizona

Is online gambling legal in Arizona? Yes, but to a certain point. We’ve already concluded that sports betting has been legal since 2021, but online gambling remains illegal. As of right now, there are just 6 states where US online casinos are legal and Arizona is not one of them.

In this section we take a look at other forms of gambling activities, including lottery, that have been greenlit by Arizona online gambling laws.

bingo-card-and-numbers

Bingo

Bingo is one of the oldest and most popular forms of wagering money in the world, and it is extremely popular in Arizona. There are tons of bingo halls in Arizona where you can enjoy this activity. The gambling laws in Arizona state that bingo is allowed either for recreational purposes or to allow nonprofit organizations to generate funds through which they will be able to support their activities. Bingo wagering in Arizona is overseen by the
horse-racing-betting

Horse racing

Whenever betting on sports is mentioned, the first thing that comes to mind is horse racing. Horse racing and betting have gone side-by-side for many years. And Arizona residents will be pleased to know that they can wager on horse races both online and at retail establishments. If you wish to place bets on horse racing, you need to be old enough to do so. The Arizona gambling age for this activity is 18.
arizona-lottery

Lottery

Arizona’s official lottery corporation is the Arizona Lottery. This organization features tons of domestic and international lottery draws, including the likes of Powerball, The Pick, Mega Millions, Pick 3, Triple Twist, and Fantasy 5. When it comes to purchasing lottery tickets, you can only do so via authorized retailers. It is essential to mention that the Arizona Lottery doesn’t sell tickets by mail, phone, or via the Internet.
daily-fantasy-sports-betting

Daily Fantasy Sports

Betting on daily fantasy sports has become quite a popular activity across the US in the past couple of years and Arizona is no exception to this rule. Many of the most reputable sportsbooks in the state, including the likes of FanDuel and DraftKings. If you wish to bet on DFS, you need to be at least 21 years old.

Arizona offline gambling

Online gambling in Arizona may be forbidden, but that doesn’t mean that retail casinos are not permitted. On the contrary, brick-and-mortar casinos are operating in this state, and they are extremely popular with residents of legal age.

Statistics showed that Arizona was also very profitable in the gambling industry. In 2021, the state’s annual revenue was $129 million. Out of the total sum, tribal gaming contributions were responsible for $113.6 million, $21 million of which were made in the final quarter of 2021 (Q4).

An even more impressive fact is that there are over 20 licensed casinos in the state, all of which offer various slots, table games, card games, and more. According to Arizona laws, if you wish to enter a casino facility and wager on any of the aforementioned games, you need to be at least 21 years old.

Retail gambling facilities in Arizona are regulated by the Arizona Department of Gaming, which is the authority that is in charge of regulating sports betting, DFS, and horse racing betting.

One thing that is worth noting about retail gambling in Arizona is the fact that there aren’t any commercial casinos in this state. All casinos here are owned by Native American tribes or tribal conglomerates within the casino industry. Some of the casinos that operate in Arizona are displayed in the table below.

RetailLaunch dateLocationType
Apache Gold Casino ResortJune 1994777 Geronimo Springs Blvd, San Carlos, AZ 85550Casino
Apache Sky CasinoApril 2017777 Apache Sky Blvd, Winkelman, AZ 85192Casino
Yavapai Gaming Center19871505 E, AZ-69, Prescott, AZ 86301Casino
Wild Horse Pass Hotel & CasinoOctober 20095040 Wild Horse Pass Blvd, Chandler, AZ 85226Casino
We-Ko-Pa CasinoOctober 202010438 N Fort McDowell Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85264Casino
Twin Arrows CasinoMay 201322181 Resort Blvd, Flagstaff, AZ 86004Casino
Paradise CasinoJuly 1996450 Quechan Dr, Yuma, AZ 85364Casino
Hon-Dah CasinoDecember 1993777 AZ-260, Pinetop, AZ 85935Casino
Casino Del Sol19945655 W Valencia Rd, Tucson, AZ 85757Casino
Casino Arizona1998524 N 92nd St, Scottsdale, AZ 85256Casino

How to choose Arizona online gambling sites

The process of choosing a reputable online casino is not that complicated, especially as our experts have done all the hard work and created a foolproof Time2play rating system to point you in the right direction.

In this section we explain all the objective criteria that play a role in determining a US gambling site’s rating. These criteria are applied consistently to all platforms to ensure a level playing field. If you follow our experts’ lead, you too will be able to reach educated conclusions as to which sites offer the best online gambling in Arizona.

A mobile phone in a player's hand next to a lock and shield

License and security

Only Arizona online gambling sites that are licensed are legit and worthy of our consideration. Your chosen sportsbook must be regulated by the Arizona Department of Gaming. A platform that has multiple licenses, such as FanDuel and BetRivers, is held to more stringent standards than a site with only one license, so it tends to score higher with us. A site also needs to take security seriously, for example by having the latest SSL encryption software.

Player choosing between different games

Game library and software

Players using Arizona online gambling sites expect an entertaining gaming experience, with a diversity of gaming options. We look kindly upon sites that offer a decent selection of software providers – for normal casinos we’d expect 9 or 10, but social casinos tend to stick to their in-house designers. A choice of 5 of the best providers will score high here, which is why Fortune Coins is a favorite with our reviewers. A choice of 20 top providers like Pragmatic Play, Konami Games, and NetEnt – which is what BetRivers.net offers – will score even higher.

Giftbox with a red rosette

Bonuses and promotions

Social casinos score very high here. Regular online casinos tend to limit their no deposit bonuses and to attach wagering requirements and a ton of conditions to their other bonuses. Players in Arizona are likely to find a good deal as most sweeps casinos offer daily promos without the need of depositing.

Besides a sign-up offer, we expect weekly or even daily promos. Many social casinos like Chumba and Funzpoints offer daily bonuses via their Facebook page.

In terms of sports betting, we look favorably upon high risk-free bets, like FanDuel’s $1,000 offer, or generous match deposits like BetRivers sportsbook’s 100% up to $250.

A red chat bubble with purple headphones

Customer Support

If a casino wants to attract new players and turn the existing ones into loyal fans, it needs to make sure that it has responsive customer support. Not only should the best Arizona online gambling sites have a responsive support team, but players should have multiple ways to get in touch with them.

That includes live chat, contact forms, phone numbers, and email contact. The more efficient and effective support is, the easier you will resolve any problems or concerns that you may have. A bonus here is when the casino has an FAQ section and 24/7 chat. Thus, Slotomania scores full marks for having 24/7 support, but then loses some points as there’s no live chat available.

Hand holding magnifying glass to various payment methods

Payment methods

Once again, there’s a marked difference between social casinos and regular casinos – we expect the latter to offer considerably more casino payment options. But when enjoying online gambling in Arizona on a social casino platform, expect to find a lot less choices as real money isn’t necessarily in use here.

This doesn’t apply to sportsbooks, and here we expect the usual options that are popular with US gamblers, such as credit and debit cards, PayPal and ACH. In any case, the sites that offer the best online gambling Arizona experience will have an uncomplicated and fast cashout process. Bonus points if the money’s in your account in a few hours, like BetRivers.net.

An Android smartphone

Mobile compatibility

Most players nowadays prefer to gamble off their mobile devices, so any site that offers a dedicated app experience is going to score high with us. We look at device compatibility, a glitch-free experience and even the number of games offered. Once again, Slotomania shines, with all desktop games also available on the dedicated Android and iOS apps.

Player navigating through a casino page on a mobile phone

Ease of use

This last criteria refers mostly to the casino site’s layout and interface. The easier it is for you to navigate through the games, customer support, and banking section, the better the site.

Is it easy to register, claim bonuses and find your favorite games? If the answer is yes, our experts will look favorably upon the operator.

Gambling regulators

As we mentioned several times throughout this article, online gambling in Arizona is prohibited as far as real money casinos are concerned. So, there’s no respective authority that regulates online casinos.

However, retail casinos, retail and online sports betting, DFS betting, lottery, and bingo are legal forms of wagering in this state and are regulated by the Arizona Department of Gaming or just ADG.

The authority was established in 1995 by the Arizona State Legislature. This legislature consolidated the Department of Racing under the Department of Gaming in 2005. And interestingly enough, even though it is a state government agency, ADG does not receive tax revenue or general government funds. 

  • Arizona Department of Gaming logo
    Arizona Department of Gaming
  • Arizona Lottery logo
    Arizona Lottery

Arizona gambling laws: a brief history

Arizona’s gambling law history dates back to the 1990s when the first set of compacts was signed with tribes. As mentioned earlier in this article, the only entities that are allowed to establish retail casinos in the state are the tribes.

Throughout the years, the industry managed to evolve, and the state was able to collect millions of dollars in tax revenue. However, when it comes to online gambling real money Arizona, this activity remains illegal.

Sports betting was greenlit in 2021 and it proved to be a massive hit as many residents of legal age started placing bets via both retail and online sportsbooks. With that being said, let’s take a more detailed look at the gambling laws history in Arizona.

1992

First sets of gaming compacts signed

Gambling in Arizona set foot in 1992 when the state authorities signed the first compact with the tribes. Between 1992 and 1994, a total of 16 tribal compacts were signed, and the gambling industry was off to a good start.

High Roller Casinos Tip 5
1998

Slot machines become legal

After the successful launch of gambling in Arizona, then-Governor Jane Hull signed the 17th compact. This compact gave exclusive rights in terms of operating slots and casino-style gaming but established limits on the number of machines and set the minimum standards for the casinos.

Nevada Tips 06
2002

Tribal gambling greenlit by residents

In 2002, Proposition 202, which allowed tribal gambling to continue, was approved by the voters. In the same year, then-Governor Janet Napolitano signed compacts with 5 additional tribes.

iowa-online-casinos-history-native-american-casinos-legalized
2017

Final tribe gets approved

By 2017, the only tribe that wasn’t signed by the state was the Hopi Tribe. However, Governor Doug Ducey made sure that the tribe wasn’t left out of the conversation as it signed a compact with it as well.

congress-approves-sportsbooks-dc-gambling
2021

Online sports betting legalized

After PASPA was overturned in 2018, Arizona legislators started making efforts to legalize sports betting in the state. Their effort finally paid off in 2021. In April, sports betting was given the green light. Daily fantasy sports became legal in August and online betting was legalized in September. Online gambling real money Arizona remains illegal.  

Latest updates — sports betting industry set to explode in Arizona

The gambling industry in Arizona is experiencing massive expansion. Even though there are no concrete signs as to when online gambling will be legalized, there have been a few events that proved that legalizing sports betting in the state was the right move.

Until online gambling Arizona is legalized, all of the latest updates will concern retail casinos and retail/online sportsbooks. With that thought in mind, we’ve added some of the latest updates in the Arizona gambling industry below, so let’s have a look.

FAQs

Is online gambling legal in Arizona?

At the moment, online gambling in Arizona is legal for sports, but not for casinos. Retail casinos are allowed to operate. Players wishing to enjoy real money wagers in the state can check out our best Arizona sports betting sites.

Can you gamble at home in Arizona?

Yes, you can gamble at online sports betting sites and sweeps cash casinos in Arizona, from the comfort of your home. If you’re after the best online casino games experience without breaking the law, check out our experts’ choice of best Arizona social casinos.

What is the legal gambling age in Arizona?

The legal gambling age for retail casino gaming and online/retail sports betting in Arizona is 21. The same goes for college sports betting and DFS betting. If you’d like to learn more about the laws surrounding online gambling in Arizona, check out our legal section.

Which other forms of gambling are considered legal in Arizona?

Apart from betting on sports, you will be pleased to know that several other gambling forms are considered legal in Arizona. For starters, DFS and college betting are allowed, as well as lottery, bingo, and betting on horse races.

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