Legal sports betting has entered yet another Arizona casino.
The Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation and Betfred introduced regulated wagering to the We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort in Scottsdale with eight self-service kiosks.
The move creates another option in Arizona for in-person sports betting. Unlike the other brick-and-mortar locations that have opened, this one does not have ticket windows with an employee there to help you place bets. However, organizers say the state-of-the-art kiosks offer customers convenience, flexibility, comfort and safety when placing sports wagers.
Betfred makes its mark in Arizona sports betting market
Betfred Sports makes its Arizona sports betting debut, which features user-friendly kiosks are powered by OpenBet retail technology. They allow players to wager on select sports on pre-match, in-play or futures, which includes straight bets, parlays, teasers and more. Bettors can then insert their winning tickets into the kiosks and use their profits to place additional bets.
Four of the eight kiosks are located throughout the casino floor. The remaining four kiosks can be found in WKP Sports & Entertainment, the casino’s sports-themed casual dining outlet. Players can eat, drink, and watch their bets play out on the TVs located throughout the restaurant. Bettors can even attend “football parties” on Monday nights while watching the game.
Mary Ketterling, general manager of We-Ko-Pa Casino, said the facility could become a can’t-miss destination for gamblers.
“When designing the We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort, the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation wanted it to be the place to be for local residents and area visitors interested in the latest-and-greatest gaming options. Adding sports betting further helps us make our beautiful casino the one-stop gaming destination they envisioned.”
The initial launch also serves as an important milestone for Betfred in the Grand Canyon State. This setup up should be able to satisfy bettors while work continues on the official and permanent Betfred retail sportsbook. The expectation is that it will be ready to open inside the casino in 2022. The state also awaits the launch of the Betfred Arizona betting app.
“We are now one step closer to offering Arizona sports bettors a great betting experience with the new self-service kiosks at We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort,” said Bryan Bennett, COO of Betfred Sports. “We look forward to opening the complete Betfred Sportsbook early next year.”
Where else retail sports betting will pop up in Arizona
More retail sportsbooks inside tribal casinos are on the way. The Tohono O’odham Nation plans on opening on-site sportsbooks at the tribe’s Desert Diamond Casinos. Kambi Group will operate retail sportsbooks at the Glendale, Tucson and Sahuarita locations. However, there is no exact date for the launches at this time.
Meanwhile, Harrah’s Ak-Chin Hotel & Casino in Maricopa says plans are still in the works. All tribal casinos in Arizona can have retail sports betting under their compacts.
At the same time, we will soon see retail sportsbooks at more of Arizona’s sports venues. The Arizona Cardinals teamed with BetMGM to put a retail sportsbook inside State Farm Stadium. The franchise is hoping the location will be open in time for the 2022 NFL season. Meanwhile, the PGA Tour will soon see a sportsbook open at TPC Scottsdale, operated by DraftKings.
