State Senator Sonny Borrelli introduced the SB1158 bill a few days ago. This bill will grant federally recognized tribes the opportunity to accept sports betting wagers in state-controlled establishments, including casinos, “private clubs,” and local bars.
Senator Borrelli was very vocal about legalizing sports betting in Arizona, especially after the American Gaming Association estimated that there would be $6 billion in wagers placed on Super Bowl Sunday 2019. Obviously, state lawmakers want a piece of that money.
Background on the Supreme Court Decision
The Supreme Court decision to strike down the “anti-sports betting law” in May 2018 has made this possible. Each individual state now has the power to choose whether to sanction casinos to start accepting sports bets or leave things the way they are. At least 27 states have sports betting legislation put in place, and more are anticipated to join the line.
Borrelli says that making this move for Arizona will be great for business. “It could be millions of dollars” in revenue.
Great Move for Arizona
Naturally, this would be a great move not just for Arizona, but also for the next door neighbor Nevada. Surprisingly, however, sports betting is still restricted in that state. So, this makes for futile ground if Arizona is to take the wagers and make some big bucks.
The new sports betting bill in Arizona will mesh with the existing gaming compacts by working with proven systems already in place.
Borrelli says that the tribes will get the majority of the money made from the wagers, but of course, the state will get some of the kickbacks. He also referenced that people have a strong desire to bet on sports games, so why not offer this option in a legal format? People are going to find a way to do it regardless.
