Bill in Arizona restricts sports betting to tribal gaming facilities

Thursday, January 24, 2019

The Gila River Indian Community owns and operates the Wild Horse Pass Hotel and Casino in Chandler, Arizona. Photo: DK Hong

Tribes would gain exclusive rights to offer sports betting if a new bill in Arizona becomes law.

Republican lawmakers introduced SB 1158 in the Senate on Wednesday. It states that "No other person or entity may operate sports betting" except for tribes with Class III gaming compacts.

By limiting sports betting to tribes, the bill opens the door for the state to seek more revenues from tribes. Gov. Steve Ducey (R) already has plans to do that during upcoming compact negotiations, The Arizona Mirror reported.

Tribes have already shared more than $1.45 billion of their revenues since 2004. Year-to-year figures have been showing consistent gains as well.

Elsewhere, tribes have not rushed into sports betting in the wake of a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision that paved the way for the industry. The Pueblo of Santa Ana in New Mexico and the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians in Mississippi are among the few with live operations. The Oneida Nation has plans to do the same in New York.

In Minnesota, tribes are outright opposed to sports betting. Their stance could stall efforts to legalize such waters in the state.

“The Minnesota Indian Gaming Association continues to oppose the expansion of off-reservation gambling, including the legalization of sports betting,” Charles Vig, who serves as chair of the organization. said in a letter to state leaders, MinnPost reported.

The Supreme Court's May 2018 decision did not legalize sports betting. Instead, it struck down a federal law that had been previously interpreted as a ban on such wagers at the state level.

Under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, tribes can offer the same types of games that are legal in a state. Depending on the circumstances, tribes may need to update their Class III gaming compacts or take other steps to offer sports betting.

Read More on the Story

Arizona Bill Would Legalize Tribal Sports Betting (Sports Handle January 24, 2019)
Sports Betting Bill Roundup: New Legislation Pops Up in Arizona, Hawaii (Legal Sports Report January 24, 2019)
Long road ahead for sports betting in Minnesota (SBC Americas January 24, 2019)
MN Tribes Give Sport Betting a Thumbs Down (GamingPost.ca January 24, 2019)
Pearl River Resort Plans to Launch First Mississippi Sports Betting App (Legal Sports Report January 22, 2019)
Legalized sports betting may be coming to Minnesota. Just not anytime soon. (MinnPost January 17, 2019)

A New Era: Sports Betting

Indianz.Com on SoundCloud: Christie v. National Collegiate Athletic Association- U.S. Supreme Court - December 4, 2017

U.S. Supreme Court Decision in Murphy v. NCAA

Syllabus | Opinion | Concurrence [Thomas] | Concurrence / Dissent [Breyer] | Dissent [Ginsburg]

Supreme Court Documents

Oral Argument Transcript: Christie v. NCAA / New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, Inc. v. NCAA (December 4, 2017)

Related Stories:
Tribes prepare for state of Arizona to demand more gaming revenues (January 17, 2019)
Pueblo of Santa Ana jumps into sports betting industry (October 10, 2018)
'It's the wave of the future': Sports betting in Indian Country (September 26, 2018)
Chickasaw Nation lands first-ever casino partnership with NFL team (September 7, 2018)
Mississippi Choctaws become first in Indian Country with sports betting (September 3, 2018)
Winnebago tribal corporation makes another go at gaming (August 16, 2018)
'On the road to recovery': Sports betting raises concerns about addiction (July 13, 2018)
Seminole Tribe looks to offer sports betting at new Hard Rock facility (July 12, 2018)
Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians announces sports betting at casinos (June 13, 2018)
Delaware becomes first state with sports betting after Supreme Court ruling (June 6, 2018)
Cronkite News: Media prepares for a new era with sports betting (May 30, 2018)
Stateline: Problem gambling a concern as sports betting fever spreads (May 29, 2018)
Online gaming also on the table as Connecticut negotiates with tribes (May 24, 2018)
Connecticut governor seeks to negotiate sports betting with tribes (May 22, 2018)
Tribes seek a seat at table as states look into sports betting (May 21, 2018)
Tribes continue to weigh impact of Supreme Court ruling on sports betting (May 18, 2018)
Oneida Nation already lining up sports betting after Supreme Court ruling (May 15, 2018)
Supreme Court opens the door for sports betting for states and for tribes (May 14, 2018)
Cronkite News: Supreme Court decision could open doors to legalized sports betting (May 2, 2018)
Supreme Court takes up sports betting case whose outcome could impact tribes (December 4, 2017)
Gaming group promotes tribal interests in Supreme Court sports betting case (September 5, 2017)
Indian Country warms up to legislation to repeal federal ban on sports betting (August 21, 2017)
National Indian Gaming Association clarifies position on sports betting coalition (August 8, 2017)
National Indian Gaming Association backs effort to legalize sports betting (August 1, 2017)