Gambling Laws in Arizona

Arizona's laws on gambling operate on a default illegal basis, which means all forms of gambling are illegal in the state unless otherwise specified. This might sound bleak, but the reality is that many forms of gambling are legal.

Which Types of Gambling Are Legal in Arizona?

Arizona Revised Statutes 13-3301 and 5-101 deal with the state's gambling laws and the Arizona Department of Gaming regulates gambling. Whilst most types of gambling are illegal, there are some exceptions in the state.

Online and Landbased Casino Games

Land-based casinos have been legal in Arizona since 1988 with the enactment of the Indian Regulatory Gaming Act. This then allowed tribal nations to set up casinos on their own sovereign lands. Since Arizona has more tribal land than any other state in the US, it stands to reason that there are 24+ casinos currently in operation. No other gambling venues are legally permitted in the state outside of these tribal casinos.

Online casino gambling hasn't yet been legislated in Arizona. Though state residents do access online casino slots and other games at the various out-of-state online casinos.

Poker Tables

Land-based poker gambling is legal in Arizona, but only tribal casinos can offer games. There are currently 11 poker rooms in the tribal casinos, with Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale offering a whopping 47 poker tables. Private poker games within your home are permitted as long as no commercial profiting is involved.

Online poker falls into a grey area as online gambling is yet to be regulated in Arizona. Social poker sites such as Zynga that offer the ability to play with chips are legal, but real money poker sites are not specifically permitted.

Charitable, Online and Video Bingo

Bingo is legal in Arizona but games can only be offered by charitable organisations or tribal casinos. Outside these, anyone caught possessing a bingo gambling device faces class 2 misdemeanour charges.

Since online gambling hasn't been covered in existing legislation in the state, online bingo gambling is as yet unregulated. No licensed online bingo sites serve Arizona, leaving residents with out-of-state sites as their only option for this type of activity.

Lottery Gambling in Arizona

The Arizona Lottery offers tickets for draw games located within and across multiple states. Scratch cards, pull-tabs and other instant win games are also offered via the company.

Those looking to play online lottery games for real money via the Arizona Lottery are out of luck. Although the company has a website you cannot use it to purchase tickets.

Can You Play at Social and Crypto Casinos in Arizona?

Playing certain games (e.g. poker) within the privacy of your own home is considered legal in Arizona as long as you are not commercially profiting. Arizona's gambling laws do not specifically address loot boxes or skins gambling, with these activities currently unregulated.

In terms of cryptocurrencies, Arizona is on the cusp of becoming the first US state to recognize Bitcoin as an official legal tender. This could lead to existing gambling venues accepting cryptos as a form of payment. 

Is It Legal To Bet on Sports in Arizona?

Yes! Sports betting was made legal in September 2021, with the Arizona Department of Gaming issuing ten licences to gaming tribes. 10 went to professional sports teams and 10 to land-based operations. The result is a fairly varied marketplace for residents to bet on a wide range of sports legally.

As a result of the permissive laws on sports betting, Arizona also allows online sports betting via licensed operators' websites or apps. Residents are also legally permitted to bet on daily fantasy sports as these markets have been legalised.

Arizona Gambling Age Restrictions

Arizona residents must be at least 21 to participate in gambling activities in the state.

What Are the Tax Regulations for Gamblers in Arizona?

Regulation dictates that operators must pay taxes to run their services in the state. Existing tax laws mean mobile gambling operators are charged 10% tax, and those running retail services are charged 8%.

For players, operators are legally obligated to withhold 24% of their winnings as tax by state and national laws.

A Short History of Gambling Laws in Arizona

Arizona's gambling laws date back to the state's inception in 1912, which deemed all forms of gambling illegal. Fast forward to 1980 and the state's creation of the Arizona Lottery, which is still in operation.

In 1988 the Indian Regulatory Gaming Act was implemented, which legally permitted the construction and operation of casinos on tribal land. The National Indian Gaming Commission banned tribal casinos that didn't sign a compact from offering slot machines in 1992, resulting in numerous raids.

Greyhound racing was banned in Arizona in 2017 whilst general sports betting was legalised in Arizona in 2021.

Key Facts

• Casino gambling is legal in Arizona, but only at licensed tribal casinos.

• Online casino gambling is unregulated although Arizonans still access many offshore sites, including live casinos.

• Poker gambling is legal, but only at tribal casinos or as private games at home.

• Online poker gambling is unregulated.

• Bingo gambling is legal, but only as games run by charitable organizations or tribal casinos.

• Online bingo gambling is unregulated.

• Lottery gambling is legal with games offered offline only by the Arizona Lottery.

• Both offline and online sports betting are legal but only via licensed operators.