Arizona – the Grand Canyon State – is a gambling mecca, even though the state gambling laws on prima facie may suggest otherwise. There is a huge variety of games that can be played that can be considered on par with Las Vegas. Though commercial operators are prohibited, native American operated casinos are permitted.
In regards to online gambling, the laws remain in a state of ambiguity – neither permitted or prohibited. Accordingly, you will find that there are offshore online sites accepting Arizona players for online casinos, sports betting, poker and online bingo.
Online Gambling
- There are no state regulated online onshore casino operators, however there are several offshore online casinos that accept Players from Arizona.
- There are no state regulated online onshore bingo operators, however there are several offshore online bingo that accept Players from Arizona.
- Local sports betting including DFS remains illegal, however there are several offshore sports betting sites that accept Players from Arizona.
- The State Lottery holds monopoly on lottery products and offers some lottery products through online sale. Interactive gaming, however, is not permitted by the State Lottery.
- Tribal land based casinos exist with many land based gaming options. Online casino gaming is not permitted to be offered by the Tribal land based casinos.
Best 5 Arizona Online Casinos
Choosing an online casino can be difficult, particularly for new players who are not familiar with what to look for.
If you are new to playing online and wish to find another online casino to play at, please find out list of recommended Arizona online casinos.
| CASINO | RATING | BONUS | PLAY | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 
El Royale Casino
|
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
|
250% up to $12,500 Welcome Bonus |
Play Now |
| 2 | 
Bovada
|
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
|
100% up to $3,000 Welcome Bonus |
Play Now |
| 3 | 
Vegas Casino Online
|
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
|
400% up to $10,000 Welcome Bonus |
Play Now |
| 4 | 
Slots Empire
|
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
|
220% up to $12,000 Welcome Bonus |
Play Now |
| 5 | 
Red Dog Casino
|
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
|
225% up to $12,250 Welcome Bonus |
Play Now |
Our recommended online casinos for residents of Arizona is based on several key factors. These include safety and security, game variations and trusted payment methods.
El Royale is a relative new comer to the industry, having been established in 2018. However it brings a fresh and exhilarating experience for players. As soon as you enter the lobby of the site, it is obvious that a lot of thought has been placed with the intuitive layout, the roaring 20’s theme and the professional story line, which bring you on a journey of sophistication, class and style.
The quality of gaming is state of the art, and they have Live Dealers which provide many options for players to choose from. In addition, its casino bonuses is extremely competitive.
Vegas Casino Online is more of an old school casino, but has stood the test of time. Refreshed new games through their partnership with RealTime Gaming coupled with their history of reliable and safe processing and protection of player details places Vegas Casino Online has highly recommended. Many players enjoy the extremely competitive Welcome Bonus.
Red Dog is a very slick online casino, that sits along side El Royale with the strengths of game play, graphic design and game play. Immediately, you can sense the same detail and professionalism as El Royale. Unfortunately their Welcome Bonus isn’t as rewarding as El Royale, and therefore we place it further down the list of recommended online casinos.
Slots Empire offers the best Live Dealer games available. In addition they have an expansive selection of slot games. Hence if you are an online slots fan, you will enjoy playing at Slots Empire. Also relatively new to the scene, it brings many new games that are fantastic for those who want quality, brilliance and great playing odds. Their only downside, is that the Welcome Bonus could be a little more competitive.
Bovada is one of the most well known online casinos for US Players. They have been around since the dawn of the internet (okay, that’s a bit extreme, but you know what I mean). Trust is not easily earned for new online casinos, and therefore for casinos like Bovada that have a long history, it means that you can trust it for its sustainability.
Arizona Casinos Reviewed
There are over 30 casinos in Arizona with the most found in Phoenix. That being said these casinos are diverse in size from medium to large in size. Casinos in Arizona are NOT permitted to offer Live Dealer tables, and therefore all table games are electronic. In additions the casinos have the usual slots and video poker machines.
The best casino in Phoenix is the Desert Diamond Casino – offering a gaming floor with over 1,000 slot machines and 48 table games, plus a massive bingo hall that seat 380 players. This casino is also one of the newest to have expanded and renovated with completion in February 2020.
Worth also mentioning is the Talking Stick Resort Casino. It is the biggest and most luxurious of all casinos in Arizona, but it’s approximately a 30 minute drive from downtown Phoenix. If you love to be entertained with a Vegas like experience, then head out of town and go to Talking Stick Casino.
Arizona Live Dealer Casinos
Just a quick note: if you are looking for Live Dealer at Live Casino games, you can now find them online. Be aware, that online casinos that offer live dealer casino games normally do not permit Welcome Bonuses to be applied. The same etiquette that you find at a land based casino is the same online. You have the ability to chat to the dealer and other players, there is a pit boss, and cards are dealt to you. As with all video streamed gaming, lighting and set up is extremely important, so search for a professionally run live casino.
Sports Betting
In June 2018, the Federal laws governing sports betting that prevented States from independently legislating were overturned by the Supreme Court, and began a catalyst of sports betting law reformation throughout the US. Arizona continues to proceed through the Senate and House to gain approval of legalizing sports betting.
In the meantime, the current laws remain unclear regarding online sports betting for Arizona bettors. The land based laws clearly stipulate that no onshore sportsbook, whether online or through physical windows and terminals is allowed. Therefore all sports betting sites are established as offshore.
The events of 2020 completely stalled the online sports betting industry. Therefore many of the online sports betting sites have closed. In an endeavor to kick start the betting action, we have found that BetOnline.ag offers the best odds, bonuses and safety and security for Arizona bettors.
Bovada has a long standing history of both online casino and sports betting, and therefore we rank Bovada second on our list for top sports betting sites.
Daily Fantasy Sports
Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) is a relatively new comer to the gaming industry. It promotes the fun of bettors creating fictitious teams (fantasy team) based on real players and seeing which would win on real player performance.
This form of gambling came into existence due to the advancement of technology. The sheer volume of data required to operate a game could not be previously performed manually with pen and paper. However in today’s world with automated sports player data sets, speed of calculation of odds, winners and prize pools, the scalability exists and is now available to the world.
DFS has been disputed to be a game of skill, which therefore disassociates the legality from traditional sports betting (which is considered a game of luck). In the State of Arizona, although laws continue to remain ambiguous for sports betting, there is explicit prohibition of onshore DFS operators and therefore companies such as DraftKings and FanDuel should not accept Arizona Players.
For some astute readers, you may have noticed that we do not promote any ads or links to DFS providers. Though we recognize that there is an increasingly popularity of DFS, the game itself is actually not openly fair to players. Unfortunately DFS winners are dominated by “Players” which use advanced data modelling. They then take advantage of competing in prize pools which target new players who believe that everyone is playing for “fun”. New players will therefore consistently lose, without being aware that they cannot win against experts who are at times collaborating among themselves.
⚠️ As a result, we do not promote DFS onshore or offshore providers on this site.
Top 3 Arizona Online Bingo Sites
We have listed the best bingo sites for Arizona by analyzing player feedback, prizes and rewards and quality of play.
Arizona bingo laws are enshrined under Charitable gaming statutes. These laws provide for the licensing of non profit organizations to operate bingo games. At present, these laws do not address or permit online bingo by local operators. Accordingly, online bingo sites that do accept Arizona players are also based offshore (as per online casinos and sports betting sites).
Our top 3 online bingo sites all accept players from Arizona. They offer advanced features that include instant messaging, fun bingo games and protocols that ensures bingo participants play together in a civil enjoyable manner. Due to the social aspect of bingo, there is a cultural aspect to bingo which cannot be found with casino or sports betting. As an example, A LOT of acronyms form part of instant chat messaging. If you are not familiar with online bingo lingo, do not be afraid, learning it is one of the most fun parts!
Gambling Laws
- Online gambling is lawful for players, subject to age conditions; online onshore operators are prohibited.
- Tribal casinos are authorized to operate slots and table games
- Daily fantasy sports are illegal
- Pari-mutuel wagering is legal and permitted for horse and greyhound racing.
- Bingo is regulated and licensed through charitable gaming laws, with the exception of bingo on native American territory.
- Poker is not permitted and is deemed illegal.
- Sports wagering is not permitted and is deemed illegal
Minimum Legal Gambling Age
The minimum legal gambling age is 21 for all forms of gambling.
Gambling Taxes
Tribal casino taxes are used to fund government and social state needs.
Regulation and Governance
Gambling Legislation
Arizona State Code and Revised Statutes
Neighboring States
Arizona Gambling Market Developments
Background
Arizona has the most tribal reservation land of any US State. It has a total of 22 Indian tribes and with the exception of Tribal gaming, laws on gambling in Arizona are restrictive.
16 of the 22 tribes operate 23 Class III casinos on reservation territories. Another five tribes have transfer licenses to lease slot machines to tribes with casinos (through transfer agreements).
Two referendums over the continuation of the Arizona State Lottery have been held (the latest in 2010), both of which returned a vote in favor of the lottery.
November 2015
Scientific Games Corporation announced they were awarded a five year contract with the Arizona State Lottery. Scientific Games will replace the lotteries existing integrated gaming system as well as take over central and facilities management, retail and advertising.
February 2016
Senator Adam Driggs introduced a bill to classify daily fantasy sports as a game of skill and therefore exempt them from the state’s prohibition on games of chance. The current wording of SB-1515 could conflict with the state/tribe gaming compact which grants a monopoly on gaming to the state’s native tribes. If the language is not revised it would be possible for the tribes to invoke a clause of the compact which would declare it void and remove the restrictions it imposes.
September 2016
Scientific Games launched its new integrated gaming system with the Arizona State Lottery.
November 2016
State Governor Doug Ducey announced the gaming compacts between the State and 10 Native American tribes would be renegotiated. The first phase of the process saw the Governor and the leaders of the tribes sign an agreement which permitted the tribes to expand the games offered within their existing properties, whilst prohibiting the development of any new facilities in the Phoenix metropolitan area.
March 2018
Scientific Games Corporation was awarded a five year contract by Arizona State Lottery to provide administrative systems technology.
January 2019
On 23 January 2019, a bill was introduced to authorize sports betting on tribal reservations only. SB1158 stated that each federally recognized Indian tribe that has a tribal-state gaming compact and that has tribal headquarters on Indian lands located in the state may operate sports betting as defined in Section 13-3301. Under the provisions of the Bill, no other person or entity may operate sports betting.
February 2020
Senator Sonny Borrelli and Representative Steve Pierce have drafted a new senate bill to legalize sports betting in the state. SB-1525 is similar to senate bill SB-1158 that failed to progress last year, and would authorize Indian tribes to operate sports betting on premises that hold an alcohol or private club license. However, the legislation to allow sports betting at non-casino facilities could meet significant resistance.
FAQ
Is it legal to play at real money online casinos for Arizona Players?
The state laws are clear that Arizona online casino operators are not permitted, and therefore you will find that Arizona casinos are all based offshore. The laws are unclear for Arizona players, with online gambling not explicitly declaring that it is illegal to participate at online gambling sites. It could be implied, however, to this date it has never been challenged in the court of law. Therefore, Arizona players continue to play at online casinos without any risk of infringement of the law.
What is the legal minimum age to gamble at online sites in Arizona?
Each online site sets their own minimum age for accepting Arizona players. Some set it at 18 and others at 21. However, they also take into consideration the jurisdictional laws of Arizona which stipulate the age at 21. Accordingly it is the higher of the two which determines the legal minimum age, and therefore the minimum age is 21.
Are there any 18+ casinos in Arizona?
Unfortunately, there are no legal 18+ casinos in Arizona. All casinos have a minimum legal age of 21.
Is it safe to play at Arizona real money online casinos?
Yes it is safe to play at online casinos, as long as you meet the requirements as set up in the terms and conditions of each online casino. The terms and conditions are relatively common and across all casinos. Examples include, that you must meet the minimum legal age, you must not have more than one account, you must meet wagering requirements in order to withdraw bonuses winnings, just to name a few.
How many casinos are there in Phoenix, Arizona?
There are eight casinos in Phoenix, with two casinos in Scottsdale – which is only a 30 minute drive from Phoenix.
I am staying in Phoenix, which casino do you recommend to visit?
Talking Stick Casino and Resort is only a half hour drive from Phoenix city. It offers a Vegas style experience with over 900 slot machines and various other electronic machines. In addition they have over 50 tables (electronic) for gaming.
Is sports betting legal in Arizona?
No. Sports betting is illegal. No casinos have sports books, nor any form of retail sports betting is available. The only available sports betting is through offshore sports betting sites.
Is Daily Fantasy Sports legal in Arizona?
DFS remains illegal in Arizona. Therefore FanDuel and DraftKings do not accept any players from Arizona.
Why are there no Live Dealers at the land based casinos?
It against State Law for land based casinos to provide gaming with Live Dealers. You will, however, be able to find Live Dealers streamed live and in HD to your desktop or mobile device via online casinos.