The Arizona Department of Gaming reported state sports betting handle of $637.5 million in February. That total was down nearly $70 million from January 2024 but represents a 4.6% increase on the total taken in February 2023.
Gross gaming revenue for February was $53.0 million, down 23% from January’s $69.3 million. All but $290,000 of that came from mobile wagering.
The total adjusted revenue after deductions and promotions were paid out was $28.0 million.
Since launching in September 2021, Arizona has now recorded more than $16 billion in all-time sports betting handle.
FanDuel still No. 1
FanDuel has typically been the mobile sports betting market leader in the Grand Canyon State and it retained its status as No. 1 in February. The Flutter-owned brand, which is a partner of the Phoenix Suns, took $230.3 million in mobile bets in February, $24 million ahead of DraftKings. Behind those top two came BetMGM with $73.3 million and Caesars at $43.6 million.
FanDuel’s GGR of $19.7 million and AGR of $12.9 million were both also the highest in the state, slightly ahead of DraftKings on both counts.
In February, Arizona collected $2.8 million in privilege fees, down 39% from the $4.6 collected in January. For FY2024 in the state, privilege fees have now reached $27.2 million.
bet365 slots into top six in first month
An interesting note in the February results was that bet365, which launched online sports wagering operations in Arizona on Feb. 5, ranked sixth in handle. Its $24.5 million in mobile handle came narrowly behind ESPN Bet‘s $26.6 million and may have eclipsed the Penn-owned sportsbook had bet356 been live for the first few days of the month.
The UK-based sportsbook’s GGR of $3.4 million ranked higher at fourth, behind FanDuel, DraftKings and BetMGM, but yielded zero AGR after all of its start-up promotions and deductions were paid out. Bet365 spent essentially as much on promo dollars as it made in GGR.
Still, the numbers suggest there is a piece of the pie available for bet365 in Arizona if it can capitalize on its early ground.
The company is the 17th operator with market access in the Grand Canyon State and has partnered with the Ak-Chin Indian Community, taking up the license vacated when Fubo Sportsbook shuttered operations in October 2022.
Other sportsbooks live in Arizona include the likes of Bally’s and Betfred. Others including WynnBet and TwinSpires have left the state in recent times. Arizona is looking to fill those gaps with other new operators to fill those gaps, as House Bill 2772 allows up to 20 wagering licenses.
The next to arrive is Fanatics Sportsbook, which took its online and mobile sports betting offerings live in the state in early April through its long-term partnership with the Tonto Apache Tribe, owner and operator of the Mazatzal Hotel & Casino. Arizona now has 10 sportsbook licensees tied to tribal partners, the maximum it can offer in that category.
