A review of agency records confirms Ak-Chin was the first and only tribe to shutter its sportsbook after just one year. “There is one tribal entity that is no longer licensed to conduct event wagering,” Arizona Gaming Department spokesperson Maxwell Hartgraves told InMaricopa. “We are thrilled to partner with Ak-Chin,” Fubo Gaming President Scott Butera said in 2021. But New York City-based Fubo Gaming wasn’t all-in on Arizona, leaving its partner Ak-Chin high and dry after pulling out of the state earlier this year. It all happened on the backs of just 10 Indian tribes, including the one based in Maricopa.Įach tribe was partnered with a sports betting operator. Since live event wagering was legalized less than two years ago, Arizonans have wagered nearly $10 billion en route to emerging as the biggest state in the West for sports betting.

Doug Ducey’s signature legalizing sports betting had hardly dried when the tribe pounced to secure one of just 10 coveted licenses in 2021, this time rolling the dice on a burgeoning industry from the player’s perch at the poker table.īut lady luck frowned upon the tribe as it became the first and only in Arizona to lose its sports betting license. But the tribe’s foray into live event wagering wasn’t so smooth. The Ak-Chin Indian Community might best be known for its longtime ownership of the Harrah’s Casino in Maricopa.

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