Arizona to accept applications for restricted sports betting permits from mid-August

The Arizona Department of Gaming has confirmed it will begin accepting applications for a new category of sports betting licences on August 13. A maximum of 10 permits are up for grabs, with submissions accepted until August 27 at 5 p.m. local time.

These so-called limited event wagering operator licences authorise retail betting at racetrack enclosures and their associated off-track betting locations. Any operator that secures a licence must partner with a facility already sanctioned by the Division of Racing and receive further departmental approval before launching operations. The permits carry a two-year renewal cycle.

This tranche sits apart from the existing tribal and commercial operator licences, for which the application period closed earlier this month. The state also maintains allocations for professional sports teams, PGA Tour operators, NASCAR promoters and Arizona’s Native American tribes.

Applicants must include a $1,000 non-refundable fee with their submission. Successful firms will then owe a $10,000 licence fee plus an annual $5,000 payment. Retail betting licensees face an 8 per cent tax on revenue, a rate two points lower than the 10 per cent levied on online sports wagering.