Arizona casinos and gambling are quite liberal, even among conservative states. The racing industry dates back to the ’50s. Arizona was the first state west of the Mississippi to legalize a lottery.
The state was backed into a corner when tribal casinos launched Arizona casinos without a gambling compact more than 25 years ago. This put the state in a position where it had to fight gambling on tribal land or negotiate gaming pacts. It fought the Native Americans at first.
In the end, the state decided to come to terms with reservations that included restricting games and bet limits. There are 26 tribal Arizona casinos operating today.
| Arizona Casinos & Gambling | |
|---|---|
| Arizona Legal Gambling Age | 18 lottery & bingo 21 casino & racing |
| Number of Casinos | 26 |
| Estimated Casino Revenue | Unknown |
| Smoking ban | No ban |
| Can You Gamble Online in Arizona? | Yes |
| Arizona Online Gambling | Horse Racing |
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Types of Arizona Online Gambling Allowed
The only form of online gambling that is legal in Arizona is pari-mutuel greyhound and horseracing. TwinSpires, TVG, and BetAmerica are among the sites that accept online bets from Arizonans. There was a short period in the early 2010s that these sites left Arizona. They returned in January 2015.
Daily fantasy sports sites are popular throughout the country. Arizona specifically forbids this activity. There are no legitimate fantasy sports companies that accept action from Arizona. All major daily fantasy sites follow state law.
Types of Arizona Live Gambling
There are several forms of live gambling that are legal in Arizona. Horse racing is the oldest form of betting. There are three horse tracks and two greyhound ones. Each of these establishments offers off-track betting facilities. There are dozens of bars and restaurants that offer simulcast betting. American Indian reservations are permitted to operate casinos. Poker, table games that require skill, slotsTalking Stick Resort Slot Machines Free Play
, and video poker are permitted. The poker bet limit is $500 while the table game bet limit is $1,000.The Arizona Lottery sells scratch-off and lotto tickets. There are also charitable bingo, raffles, and pull tabs.
| Types of Legal Gambling in Arizona | |
|---|---|
| Game Type | Is it Legal? |
| Slots | Yes |
| Blackjack | No |
| Poker | Yes |
| Craps/Roulette | Yes/td> |
| Horse Racing | Yes |
| Lottery | Yes |
| Sports Betting | No |
Arizona Gambling Laws
Arizona expressly permits many forms of gambling. Racetracks are permitted to offer live greyhound and horseracing. Tracks and taverns may offer simulcast wagering. Internet companies may also spread off-track betting. All racing wagers must be through pari-mutuel pools. Racing players must be at least 21 years of age.
The Arizona Lottery is permitted to sell lotto and scratch-off tickets. State law does not permit lottery sales over the Internet. The minimum age for lottery buyers is 18 years old.
Arizona permits casinos but they must be located on tribal land. A gaming compact is required between the state and the tribe owning the casino. No taxes are paid on gaming revenue but the state earns residual taxes from other operations. There are some restrictions on games operated by Arizona casinos.
Poker rooms are legal in tribal casinos. All major forms of poker games are permitted. No limit forms of poker are illegal. The maximum bet is $500. That includes the original bet and any raises. This is described as spread limit. Tournament buy-ins are not covered by the bet limit. No limit tournaments are legal in Arizona.
Table games are only permitted when skill is involved. This means that blackjack and most other card games are legal, but craps and roulette are not. Electronic table games fall under the classification of a slot machine so these may be licensed. This makes craps and roulette legal when not in table game format. Casinos require patrons to be at least 21 years of age.
Charities may spread games of chance to raise money. Permissible games are bingo, raffles, and pull-tabs.
List of Arizona Casinos
There are 26 tribal casinos in Arizona. Most are located in the central and western portions of the state. For detailed information look at our list of casinos below, or use our Arizona casinos map to help guide you to their location.
| Casino | Size | Address | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apache Gold Casino Resort | 690 Slot Machines | Highway 70 | www.apache-gold-casino.com |
| Blue Water Resort & Casino | 475 Slot Machines | 11300 Resort Drive | www.bluewaterfun.com |
| Bucky’s Casino | 500 Slot Machines | 1500 E State Route 69 | www.buckyscasino.com |
| Casino Arizona | 900 Slot Machines | 524 N. 92nd St. | www.casinoarizona.com |
| Casino of the Sun | 300 Slot Machines | 7406 S. Camino del Oeste | www.casinodelsol.com |
| Casino Del Sol | 1,000 Slot Machines | 5655 West Valencia Road | www.casinodelsol.com |
| Cliff Castle Casino | 656 Slot Machines | 555 Middle Verde Road | www.cliffcastlecasinohotel.com |
| Cocopah Casino | 500 Slot Machines | 15138 S. Avenue B | www.cocopahresort.com |
| Desert Diamond Casino Tucson | 1,089 Slot Machines | 7350 S Nogales Hwy | www.ddcaz.com |
| Desert Diamond Casino Sahuarita | 756 Slot Machines | 1100 W Pima Mine Rd | www.ddcaz.com |
| Desert West Valley Diamond Casino | 1,089 Slot Machines | 9431 W. Northern Ave | www.ddcaz.com/west-valley/ |
| Desert Diamond Casino Why | 40 Slot Machines | Highway 86, Milepost 55 | www.ddcaz.com |
| Fort McDowell Casino | 855 Slot Machines | 10424 North Fort McDowell Road | www.fortmcdowellcasino.com |
| Harrah’s Ak-Chin Resort | 1,089 Slot Machines | 15406 North Maricopa Road | www.harrahsakchin.com |
| Hon-Dah Resort Casino | 876 Slot Machines | 777 Highway 260 | www.hon-dah.com |
| Lone Butte Casino | 850 Slot Machines | 1077 S. Kyrene Rd. | www.wingilariver.com |
| Mazatzal Hotel & Casino | 400 Slot Machines | Beeline Highway 87 Mile Marker 251 | www.mazatzal-casino.com |
| Prescott Resort | 300 Slot Machines | 1500 Highway 69 | www.prescottresort.com |
| Paradise Casino | 500 Slot Machines | 450 Quechan Drive | www.paradise-casinos.com |
| Quechan Casino Resort | 1,000 Slot Machines | 525 Algodones Road | www.playqcr.com |
| Spirit Mountain Casino | 250 Slot Machines | 8555 South Highway 95 | www.spiritmountain.com |
| Talking Stick Resort | 700 Slot Machines | 9800 East Indian Bend | www.talkingstickresort.com |
| Twin Arrows Navajo Casino | 1,100 Slot Machines | 22181 Resort Boulevard | www.twinarrows.com |
| Vee Quiva Casino | 950 Slot Machines | 6443 North Komatke Lane | www.wingilariver.com |
| Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino | 2,600 Slot Machines | 5040 Wild Horse Pass Blvd | www.wingilariver.com |
| Yavapai Casino | 80 Slot Machines | 1505 East Highway 69 | www.buckyscasino.com |
History of Arizona Gambling
Horse and greyhound racing started in the 50s. The Arizona Racing Commission was created in 1958. The industry boomed while it held a monopoly, but like most racing industries, it declined sharply when other forms of gaming were legalized.
Arizona racetracks are not permitted to offer slot parlors. This contributed to its inability to remain viable. There are just two live racetracks today, although there are several idle ones that could reopen if business conditions improve.
Arizona voters approved a state lottery in November 1980. It was the first time a state west of the Mississippi River approved a lottery. Tickets went on sale the next year. Arizona sells traditional scratch-off tickets and holds lotto drawings. It also participates in interstate lottos that include Mega Millions and Powerball.
The history of casinos in Arizona is one of the most unusual in the United States. The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act was passed in 1988. This was due to a court ruling known as Calfornia v. Cabazon Band of Mission Indians. The court ruled in this case that states had no authority to regulate gaming on sovereign tribal land. The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act addressed this issue and required tribes to have a pact with the state before casinos could be operated on reservations. Only games that were legal off the reservations could be spread on one without a gaming pact. In Arizona at the time, this only included bingo, off-track betting, and lottery-type drawings.
This interpretation of the law was not agreed upon in the early 1990s when Arizona Indian tribes opened slot parlors. Then-Governor Fife Symington ordered slots shut down on reservations in 1992. Five tribes refused to shutter gaming operations and were subsequently raided. Fort McDowell Casino near Scottsdale was among the tribes that resisted the state’s attempt to close casinos on reservations. A three-week standoff ended with the closing of the casino.
Gaming pacts were issued starting in 1992. There were 16 compacts signed by 1994. There are 26 casinos that operate today.
Charitable gaming was carved out in Arizona law. Only registered nonprofit groups may offer the games. The specific games permitted are bingo, pull-tabs, and raffles.
| Arizona Regulated Gambling | |
|---|---|
| Horse Racing | 1958 |
| Lottery | 1981 |
| Casinos | 1992 |
Arizona Casinos & Gambling FAQ
Casinos are legal on reservations in Arizona.
Live craps is not permitted in Arizona casinos. Digital versions of the games may fall under slot licenses, dependent upon the opinion of the gaming commission.
Roulette is not permitted in Arizona casinos. Electronic versions of the game may be legal if approved by gaming regulators.
Yes. There is still one track that operates greyhound races in Arizona.
Yes. There is one horse track in operation in Arizona.
There are more than 40 establishments to bet on simulcast races. These include racetracks and taverns.
State law forbids betting on daily fantasy sports contests. No legitimate sites operate in the state.
Only at offshore sportsbooks that are illegal. State law does not permit sports betting.
Like sports betting, online poker is not licensed in Arizona.
Only at unlicensed sites that are illegal.
The minimum Arizona gambling age is 18 for lottery sales and charity gambling. Arizona casinos and racing wagers have a minimum gambling age of 21 years.
The maximum poker bet is $500. The maximum table game wager is $1,000.