In the 1990s, many Arizona tribes began installing gaming facilities on their reservations without the benefit of a compact with the state. The first set of compacts in Arizona included 16 tribes. The compacts included comprehensive rules on gaming, as well as minimum, internal control standards for casino operations. Arizona’s compacts were signed for a 10-year term, and each one can be renewed for another decade.
Arizona’s gambling laws were updated in April of 2021, when Governor Doug Ducey signed a new five-year gaming compact. The new compact increased the types of gambling that Arizona residents could bet on, and it also allowed the state to offer legal sportsbooks and daily fantasy sports (DFS) betting. This was the most highly publicized piece of the new gaming compact.
The new compact allowed the state to allow tribal casinos to offer DFS and sports betting. This was a big change for the state, as DFS was previously illegal. In addition to sports betting, the new compact also allowed for casinos to offer video lottery games, such as keno and bingo, as well as mobile lottery-based draw games. The new compact also allowed professional sports teams to offer wagering on pro sports.
Some of the new games that are now legal in Arizona include Keno, baccarat, blackjack, bingo, and craps. The theoretical payouts for these games range from 75% to 83%, depending on the skill level of the player. These theoretical payouts are determined by the Tribal-State Gaming Compact.
In addition to the state lottery, Arizona residents can gamble at tribal casinos, and bet on horse races. Horse and greyhound racing began in the 1950s, when the Arizona Racing Commission was established. The racing industry was a booming industry, but it started to decline as other forms of gambling became legal. Arizona gambling law is among the most liberal in the country, but residents must still abide by certain rules.
