The second retail sportsbook facility in the greater Tucson region opened its doors to the public Thursday.
Desert Diamond Casino, which is a fully owned gaming enterprise of the Tohono O’odham Nation, opened six automated sports betting kiosks at its Sahuarita location, located adjacent to the facility’s sports bar, according to KOLD-TV in Tucson.
The facility, about 20 miles south of Tucson along Interstate 19, features sports betting facilities from its gaming partner Kambi Group.
The tribe and Kambi Group announced a partnership on Nov. 1, a few months after the tribe was awarded one of 10 mobile sportsbook operator’s licenses from the Arizona Department of Gaming.
Bold New Era for Operators in Southern Arizona
Mike Bean, who serves as the CEO of the Tohono O’odham Gaming Enterprise, expressed confidence Thursday the addition of Arizona sports betting will be a game-changer for the Desert Diamond franchise.
“We are thrilled to offer a whole new level of gaming entertainment to our guests,” Bean told KOLD. “The new Desert Diamond Sportsbook will also add more excitement to our gaming floors, where there is something for everyone to enjoy.”
The Sahuarita sports betting kiosks are envisioned as the first part of a three-pronged sports betting expansion for Desert Diamond, with additional kiosks coming to their facilities in Tucson and the West Valley area of Phoenix, Bean said.
There are also plans for Desert Diamond to soon add to the growing list of Arizona sports betting apps, under the Desert Diamond Mobile LLC name.
Where to Place Sports Wagers Near Tucson
The addition of sports betting kiosks at Desert Diamond’s Sahuarita location comes weeks after Casino Del Sol opened its SolSports facility on Tucson’s southside.
Casino Del Sol, which is run by the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, opened Nov. 18 through a partnership with Scientific Gaming.
The Casino Del Sol facility features more than 4,000-square-feet of space and 60 televisions, to go with six ticket counters and eight self-service betting kiosks.
The two tribal facilities are the only retail facilities planned currently in the Tucson area, though several tribal and professional sports sportsbooks have opened in the greater Phoenix region, as well as in northern Arizona.
Gila River Hotels & Casinos opened BetMGM Arizona sportsbooks at its Vee Quiva, Wild Horse Pass and Lone Butte properties, while the Tonto Apache have opened a TwinSpires Sportsbook Arizona facility at its Mazaztal Hotel & Casino property in Payson.
Elsewhere in the greater Valley, Betfred Arizona and We-Ko-Pah Casino have teamed up to launch eight self-service kiosks at the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation-owned facility.
Other tribes that received licenses but have yet to open retail locations include the Quechan Tribe (Unibet Arizona) and San Carlos Apache Tribe (WynnBET Arizona).
Then there are the Fort Mohave Tribe (SuperBook Sports), Hualapai Tribe (Golden Nugget), and Ak-Chin Indian Community (Fubo Gaming) — all of whom declined to comment on when they plan on launching operations in Arizona.
As for professional teams sportsbook facilities, the Phoenix Suns opened a FanDuel Sportsbook Arizona location at Footprint Center. The Arizona Cardinals plan to launch a BetMGM Arizona sportsbook at State Farm Stadium, though an opening date has not been determined.
The Arizona Diamondbacks are getting into the action as well, with plans for a Caesars Sportsbook facility inside the former Game 7 Grill, just outside the stadium’s main entrance. That facility is slated to open in early 2022.
The Arizona Coyotes were one of seven teams to receive sportsbook licenses from the ADG but have declined to comment on their sportsbook partner or plans for sportsbook operations.
