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Arizona will accept new event wagering license applications from June 26, 2026, through July 10, 2026, giving sportsbook operators another chance to enter a market that has lost several brands since launch.
Good to Know
Arizona has room for new sportsbook applicants again. The Arizona Department of Gaming will reopen its event wagering license process after several operators left the state during a wider pullback across the U.S. sports betting industry.
The state legalized sports betting in 2021 with 20 available event wagering licenses. Half were set aside for operators partnered with state tribes. The other half were reserved for operators tied to Arizona sports franchises.
Arizona currently has 14 event wagering licensees, meaning open slots remain available. The state last opened an application window in 2024, and regulators now plan another review round for new applicants.
“As the state regulator, we remain dedicated to consumer protection and a thorough licensing review process,” said Cliff Holden, the Department of Gaming’s assistant director of certification and licensing. “We look forward to receiving new applications for regulated event wagering.”
The open slots follow years of sportsbook consolidation. Betfred, SuperBook Sports, Betway, Fubo Sportsbooks, TwinSpires, Unibet, and WynnBet all stopped operating in Arizona, with several also leaving other U.S. states.
SaharaBets left for a different reason. The brand lost its sports franchise partner after the NHL team formerly known as the Arizona Coyotes moved to Utah.
Even with fewer licensees, Arizona still has major national sportsbooks. DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars, bet365, and Fanatics already operate in the state, so any new entrant would join a competitive online sports betting market.
However, license access alone does not guarantee easy growth. New applicants would face high customer acquisition costs, deep-pocketed rivals, and a U.S. betting sector watching prediction markets pull more attention from sports wagering.