The smart money says we are on the precipice of having the nation’s most bet on event, the Super Bowl, played in a state in which visitors can actually bet on the game legally -- and that we may then see it happen three years in a row coming soon.
Arizona, scheduled to host the game in February 2023, went from warm to simmering on the sports betting stovetop this week when legislators introduced a first-of-its kind bill that would give not only pro team owners, but also the owners of Phoenix Raceway (NASCAR) and the PGA Tour’s Phoenix stop (Thunderbirds), control of access to licenses to then sublease to sportsbooks.
The latest evolution of a framework that gave teams and facilities control of retail licenses in D.C., Illinois and Virginia, the Arizona bill also would convey access to operate online sportsbooks statewide, a massive upgrade over previous models, since sportsbooks will pay considerably more to unlock the entire state.
Sportsbooks in Illinois and D.C. can use their team-granted licenses for mobile, but only within proximity of stadiums and arenas. Virginia extended that model to include speedways.
“It’s the brass ring,” said Sara Slane, a sports betting consultant who works with leagues, teams and sports media companies. “(An online license) is a much more lucrative proposition for the teams.”
Arizona is another example of a state moving more quickly than expected, while some others who were thought to be early movers have stalled. Both the pace, and order, of state rollout have proven difficult to handicap.
