Circa Sports becomes the 15th licensed sports betting operator in Arizona
Circa Sports is set to launch in Arizona’s regulated betting market after the Arizona Department of Gaming approved its application for an event wagering license.
Circa Sports secured the Arizona betting license last week after submitting an application during the state’s third licensing window, which ran from June 26 to July 10.
The third licensing window aimed to grow Arizona’s regulated sports betting market beyond the 14 sportsbooks that already operate in the state by awarding at least one tribal license and one sports franchise license.
Arizona’s sports betting law makes 20 licenses available to operators, with 10 reserved for Arizona Tribes and 10 reserved for Arizona’s professional sports teams, franchises, certain sporting venues, or their partner operators.
Circa Sports will launch in Arizona as the operator partner of the San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe.
Since the inception of legal sports betting and event wagering in Arizona in 2021, players have wagered $35.3 billion, generating approximately $190.6 million in event wagering privilege fees for the state.
Circa Sports currently operates retail sportsbooks in Illinois, Kentucky, and Nevada, as well as online sports betting in Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, and Nevada.
Arizona is also hoping to further grow its retail betting market, with up to ten new retail licences available during a licensing window which opens on August 13 and closes on August 27.
The retail betting licenses will allow holders to offer sports betting as a partner of a racetrack or off-track betting facility that holds a permit issued by the Division of Racing.
Arizona’s betting market is dominated by FanDuel and DraftKings, who took more than 50 per cent of total handle in May, the latest month for which figures are available.
Total handle in May was down 4 per cent year-on-year to $676.7 million, of which online betting contributed $673.9 million. DraftKings had handle of $199.7 million in May, FanDuel’s handle was $197.7 million, and Fanatics was a distant third in Arizona with May handle of $85.5 million.