Professional sports teams have made a lot more money than Native American tribes on sports betting in Arizona. Some experts say the way licenses were given out disadvantaged the tribes.
When it came to landing a license, there was not that much competition on the professional sports team side. All the major teams plus Phoenix Raceway and TPC Scottsdale, where the WM Phoenix Open is played, were issued licenses. Two of the pro sports licenses have not been issued yet. But there are 22 tribes in Arizona, which set up more competition between them.“The competition for the commercial licenses wasn’t there,” said, an attorney who represents rural tribes in Arizona.
In total, pro sports-connected sportsbooks had $5.2 billion worth of wagers during the first year, while the tribal-linked platforms saw only $208.5 million.