Press Releases
PlayAZ.com: Arizona sportsbooks to eventually attract more than $3 billion in bets annually
Arizona will grow into a particularly lucrative market for its fledgling sports betting industry, capable of generating more than $3 billion in annual wagers and $200 million in annual gross gaming revenue, according to estimates by PlayAZ.com, which analyzes and researches the state’s regulated online gaming and sports betting market.
“Arizona is particularly exciting development for legal sports betting in the U.S., with a collection of attributes that will likely help the market mature quickly,” said Eric Ramsey, analyst for the PlayUSA.com network, which includes PlayAZ.com. “In fact, few other of the recently launched U.S. markets have quite as many positive characteristics. Because of this, the future is quite bright in Arizona.”
When Gov. Doug Ducey signed legislation to legalize sports betting in Arizona last week, the Grand Canyon State joined 26 other U.S. states and Washington D.C., that have regulated online sports betting in some form. Twenty-two of those jurisdictions have launched.
According to PlayAZ projections on an Arizona population of 7.3 million, Arizona sportsbooks could take in as much $3.3 billion in wagers annually at maturity, which could come as soon as the market’s third year. That would produce as much as $225 million in gross gaming revenue annually, assuming a 7% “hold,” which is the percentage sportsbooks keep after paying out winning bets.
With a hypothetical 8% tax rate, the state projects $12.3 million in annual tax revenue. But the final tax rate is yet to be determined, and with promotional credits that will reduce the tax liability for operators, an accurate projection is impossible.
Indiana, which launched sports betting in 2019, may be Arizona’s closest comparison among current markets. With some 500,000 fewer residents than Arizona, the Hoosier State produced $1.8 billion in bets and $138.4 million in gross operator revenue in 2020, despite major U.S. sports being shut down for more than three months in 2020. Through the first three months of 2021, Indiana sportsbooks have taken in $938.9 million in bets, including $316.7 million in March alone. The first quarter has produced $72.8 million in gross gaming revenues for Indiana sportsbooks, generating $6.9 million in state taxes.
“There is no question that Arizona will be a fruitful market, but there are still a lot of moving parts that will need to be sorted before launch,” said Dustin Gouker, lead analyst at PlayUSA.com. “Based on what is known now, though, the basic framework will be appealing for sportsbook operators.”
Arizona has a unique collection of positive attributes that should help make it flourish. For one, Arizona has a vibrant sporting landscape that includes a professional team in all four major North American sports leagues, four NCAA Division I college athletic programs, NASCAR races, and multiple PGA Tour events. To capitalize on that landscape, Arizona’s bill has authorized stadiums and arenas over 10,000 seats, plus the Phoenix Raceway and TPC Scottsdale as licensees.
Also, Arizona is an appealing sports tourism market with fans regularly traveling from all over for special events such as college bowl games, the Super Bowl, and the NCAA Tournament, in addition to regular season games and baseball’s spring training. Plus, Arizona has the potential to appeal to some residents of Southern California, who currently count Nevada as their nearest legal sports betting option.
“One of the smartest things that Arizona did was to create a relatively open market, like Indiana, which will spur competition and raise the market’s ceiling,” Ramsey said. “We don’t know the entire framework yet in Arizona. But ultimately a truly competitive market benefits consumers while making the industry a reliable revenue producer for the state for years to come.”
For more information and analysis on regulated sports betting in Arizona, visit PlayAZ.com/news.
Latest News
THE UNIT TO STEP UP EXPANSION PLANS WITH OPENING OF NEW YORK CITY OFFICE
The Unit aims to grow its presence in the Americas with move to new Manhattan location in January 2025 at Bank of Ireland’s NYC Hub
The Unit, a leader in product design and development for sports betting and iGaming, will proudly open its new office in New York City, as part of its long-term global expansion objectives, in January 2025.
The Americas division was established in 2023 with the launch of The Unit’s partnership with online operator PlayStar Casino. The New York City office, located in the heart of Manhattan, will now be the hub for The Unit’s activity in the Americas.
This new base will be located at Bank of Ireland’s NYC Hub, which was launched to help Irish business owners expand their North American operations. The offices at 2 Grand Central Tower are a great asset to Irish companies aiming to expand their operations in the United States and beyond. This is an ideal location for The Unit to grow its footprint in the region.
The project will be put into practice by The Unit’s Head of Business Development & Account Management Mark O’Hare, who has relocated to New York and will be responsible for The Unit’s commercial growth in the region.
With product and development teams in Ireland and Moldova, the addition of an American hub is further proof The Unit holds an unwavering commitment to becoming the partner of choice, on a global scale, throughout the industry.
Paddy Casey, Co-founder at The Unit, said: “These are exciting times for The Unit, and with plans in place to exponentially grow our presence in the Americas across the next few years, the start of 2025 will be the perfect time for us to move into one of the most vibrant cities in the world.
“This will be the ideal addition to our existing bases in Ireland and Moldova. The flexible workspace the hub can provide will be integral to our plans and will give us the opportunity to grow the team.
“This is an excellent opportunity for us to touch base with clients in the Americas and strategise further launches. We’re looking forward to mapping out our future in the region with our team on the ground there.
“I would like to thank Mark O’Hare for making the move to New York, and I’m sure both he and his team will have the skills and experience to execute our vision for the Americas division across the long-term.”
Tania Sheikh, Manager of NYC Hub for Bank of Ireland, said: “We are very pleased to welcome The Unit to the NYC Hub. The facilities we can provide have helped businesses scale up and connect with their partners, and we are proud to offer that opportunity to The Unit.
“We look forward to hosting The Unit and wish them well in their endeavors to grow their business here.”
The Unit has solidified its strong track record of building world-class, scalable and efficient products for the sports betting and iGaming sector in recent years.
As The Unit embarks on this exciting period of growth, the company remains committed to delivering exceptional products and services to its clients. With its experienced team, best-in-class product development capabilities, and focus on innovation, The Unit is poised to shape the future of the sports betting and iGaming industries.
Latest News
Golden Matrix Group to Participate in the 2025 ICR Conference
Golden Matrix Group Inc., a developer and licensor of online gaming platforms, systems, and gaming content, today announced that management will participate in the 2025 ICR Conference on January 13-15, 2025 at the Grande Lakes Resort in Orlando, FL.
Zoran Milosevic, Chief Executive Officer of Meridianbet, will participate in a fireside chat with an equity research analyst on Monday, January 13, 2025, at 2:30 PM ET and will also be available for meetings during the conference.
Canada
Be #GiftSmart: Scratch the Idea of Gifting Scratch & Win Tickets to Kids
BCLC reminds adults to gift responsibly this holiday season
With the holiday season in full swing, BCLC is reminding British Columbians to gift responsibly and scratch lottery products from their shopping lists for kids.
“Scratch & Win tickets can make great stocking stuffers for the adults in your life, but they’re not for kids,” said Ryan McCarthy, BCLC’s Director of Player Health. “The research shows that children who have early encounters with gambling are four times more likely to develop riskier gambling behaviour as they grow up. While people are out shopping for those last-minute gifts, BCLC wants adults to be aware of the potential risks associated with gifting lottery products to children and to consider safer alternatives.”
While Scratch & Win tickets are among the most common ways kids can be introduced to gambling, children are increasingly exposed to various online forms, such as gambling streams.
“With the convergence of gaming and gambling, youth are becoming more exposed to gambling content in online spaces like streaming sites, where creators are able to live-stream their own gambling, usually while playing online slots and instant games,” said Dr. Luke Clark, Director for Gambling Research at UBC. “Our research at the UBC Centre for Gambling shows that a higher frequency of watching online gambling streams is associated with a more positive attitude towards gambling and a high intention to gamble in the future.”
In B.C., it is illegal to sell lottery products to anyone under the age of 19 and BCLC encourages adults to have conversations with the kids in their lives about the risks associated with gambling.
“Open and honest conversations are crucial when it comes to navigating childhood exposure to gambling,” said McCarthy, who shared the following tips to adults:
- Monitor for gambling-related lifestyle changes. For example, developing a positive attitude towards gambling or a preoccupation with video games or streaming sites.
- Be a positive role model. Exhibit safer gambling behaviour and talk about the risks.
- Limit exposure. Monitor kids’ online activities and discourage engagement with gambling content. Explain how gambling is based on chance.
-
Gambling in the USA4 days ago
Industry veteran joins North American operator as chief interactive gaming officer to drive growth in iCasino states and efficiencies in its online sportsbook
-
Canada7 days ago
Jackpot Digital Receives Approval from AGCO as a Registered Gaming Supplier
-
awards7 days ago
Yaamava’ Resort & Casino at San Manuel Named #1 Best Overall Casino Outside of Las Vegas and #1 Best Native American Casino in 2024 Newsweek Readers’ Choice Awards
-
Latest News6 days ago
SBC Summit Rio to welcome EDM legend Afrojack as INFINITY headliner, supported by Brazil’s Dubdogz
-
Latest News7 days ago
SPGA Introduces Code of Conduct to Highlight Member Commitment to Compliance and Safety in Social and Promotional Gaming
-
Compliance Updates7 days ago
TaDa Gaming Celebrates Further Brazilian Certification Across its Portfolio
-
Gaming2 days ago
10-15% Of Gamers In Florida Show Signs Of Gaming Addiction: Here Are 10 Signs Your Kid Is Suffering From It (And How You Can Help)
-
Compliance Updates7 days ago
Delasport Now GLI-Certified for Sports Betting in Brazil