- Fanatics Sportsbook has gained market access in Arizona.
- Arizona has seen strong performance by their sports betting market since it went live in 2021.
- Fanatics expects to be live in 20 states by the end of the year.
Fanatics Sportsbook has officially entered the Arizona sports betting market, bringing its online and mobile wagering platforms to sports enthusiasts across the state. This development came to fruition on April 4, following a strategic partnership with the Tonto Apache Tribe, the esteemed proprietors of the Mazatzal Hotel & Casino. The Arizona Department of Gaming greenlit this collaboration last month, enabling Fanatics to operate in partnership with the tribe, marking a significant expansion of its sports betting services.
Arizona, previously untapped by PointsBet—a company acquired by Fanatics last year in a substantial $225 million deal—now stands as a new frontier for Fanatics Sportsbook. Sports fans in the state are invited to download the Fanatics Sportsbook app on both iOS and Android platforms, initiating a new era of sports betting accessibility and engagement within Arizona. Further enriching this venture is the anticipated launch of a Fanatics Sportsbook retail outlet within the Mazatzal Hotel & Casino slated for this summer.
Tonto Apache Tribe Chairman Calvin Johnson highlighted the mutual benefits of this partnership, emphasizing its potential to support the tribe’s welfare initiatives and contribute broadly to the Arizona community. This new chapter follows the tribe’s previous engagement with mobile sports betting through TwinSpires, a platform by Churchill Downs that ceased its operations at the close of 2023.
Ari Borod, Chief Business Officer at Fanatics Betting & Gaming, expressed excitement over the partnership, underscoring Arizona’s diverse sports culture as a perfect match for Fanatics Sportsbook’s comprehensive betting offerings. “Arizona is a state with tons of options for sports fans, making it the ideal destination for the most rewarding online sportsbook,” Borod stated, reflecting on the state’s vibrant sports scene.
Since the legalization of sports betting in September 2021, Arizona has seen over $15 billion in sports betting handle, positioning it as a leading state in the post-PASPA era. The state now hosts 10 sportsbook licensees aligned with tribal partners, reaching its maximum in this category.
Fanatics Sportsbook’s launch comes amid a wave of expansion within the state’s betting ecosystem, joining British powerhouse bet365 as one of the latest entrants in the past two months. This continuous growth enriches Arizona’s sports betting landscape, previously entered by major names such as Bally’s, BetMGM, and Caesars, among others.
With Fanatics Sportsbook also making recent debuts in North Carolina and Kansas—and with plans to launch in Illinois—its strategic acquisitions and partnerships are swiftly expanding its footprint across the United States. Following the complete transfer of assets from PointsBet, Fanatics Betting and Gaming is poised to be live in 20 states, including Michigan, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, subject to regulatory approvals. This ambitious expansion underscores Fanatics Sportsbook’s commitment to becoming a dominant force in the sports betting sector nationwide.
