The sports betting landscape in Arizona is moving faster than Diamondbacks outfielder Tim Locastro stealing another base.
Among the new moves potentially imminent, Caesars Entertainment, Inc. may be joining the daily fantasy sports game in the state following the company’s new alliance with the Diamondbacks.
Along with sportsbooks, Caesars-D-Backs alliance covers DFS sponsorship
Shortly after Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey signed Arizona’s new sports betting bill into law last month, partnerships quickly formed. Eligible for licenses, the state’s sports entertainment entities began partnering with operators to be ready to open sportsbooks when the time comes for them to do so.
FanDuel and the Phoenix Suns joined forces, as did DraftKings and the TPC Scottsdale golf complex. Caesars joined the fun as well last week, announcing a partnership with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Caesars-Diamondbacks deal involves the building of a retail sportsbook and bar on the plaza near Chase Field. There will also be a mobile sportsbook. Caesars will draw on the expertise of recently-acquired William Hill to power both.
The announcement additionally notes how the deal not only grants Caesars access to run sportsbooks, but “exclusive sponsorship in… daily fantasy sports for the D-backs” as well.
Caesars arrives in AZ with fantasy platform partner SuperDraft
Even before Caesars’ recent deals, the casino-entertainment company had already partnered with the daily fantasy sports platform SuperDraft, Inc.
That partnership, announced in late January, saw Caesars take a minority investment position in SuperDraft with an option eventually to increase its stake to 100%.
SuperDraft currently operates as one of a few challengers to the DraftKings-FanDuel dual dominance over the fantasy marketplace.
As part of an effort to provide something unique to fantasy sports players, SuperDraft offers its own multiplier game mode unavailable at other sites. Multiplier mode removes the salary cap when team-building while also boosting player points according to preset multipliers.
SuperDraft currently operates in just over two-thirds of the country. At present, Arizona is among the 15 states from which SuperDraft does not accept players.
Taking on challenge to compete against DFS giants
Arizona regulators are hopeful both sports betting and fantasy sports can launch sooner than later. All are eyeing the start of the 2021 NFL season in September as a goal.
That said, multiple factors will affect the timeline. Those factors include the publishing of amended tribal-state compacts and the drafting of rules.
Both Caesars and SuperDraft no doubt hope their partnership gets off to as fast and successful start as Tim Locastro after making his MLB debut. Possessed with the fastest sprinting speed in baseball, Locastro set a record last month for most consecutive steals without being caught (28) to start a career.
Of course, Caesars and SuperDraft will face a significant challenge if they hope to steal players from DraftKings and FanDuel once DFS launches in Arizona.
