The Arizona Department of Gaming concluded a comment period Monday on its first set of Arizona sports betting draft rules.

The ADG hosted four open session virtual meetings for stakeholders and the general public to provide a forum for discussion. The first two sessions were June 18 for sports betting and daily fantasy sports; the last two sessions were on Monday.

The ADG will consider all public comments and feedback before the draft rules are officially submitted to the Arizona secretary of state.

“The ADG is currently analyzing the feedback we have received during the public comment period and making relevant changes to the draft rules,” Max Hartgraves, public information officer for the ADG, said in an email Tuesday. “Once this is complete, we will release an updated timeline and draft set of rules, though I do not have any hard dates on when this will take place right now. The next draft of rules should have a short comment period associated with it.”

Key Policy Decisions Remain

The draft rules leave open four key policy decisions still under consideration by the department — number of skins, licensing and privilege fees and license allocation. During the comment period Monday, several key stakeholders said they believed the law allows for one mobile skin per operator.

Though the U.S. Department of the Interior already approved the state’s updated Tribal gaming compact, the ADG has not yet released info about the application process for possible operators.

The ADG will have up to 60 days to approve or deny a license application from an operator.

After all the comment/feedback periods, the ADG will have an amendment period and file any amended rules as necessary, all pointing to the NFL opener as a tentative start date.

Arizona plans to launch sports betting on Sept. 9, the day the NFL 2021 season kicks off with the Dallas Cowboys visiting the Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers. NFL betting is most popular kind of betting at most sportsbooks, though NBA betting will likely be very popular in the state given the success of the Suns.

The Arizona Cardinals open their 2021 season in Nashville against the Tennessee Titans on Sept. 12. You can check out the Cardinals’ NFL futures odds as well as NFL spreads from the top sports betting sites to what oddsmakers think of the Cardinals.

Sportsbook Partnership Deals in Arizona

The Caesars sportsbook as well as DraftKings and FanDuel have announced sports betting partnerships in the state.

On April 14, DraftKings Sportsbook and the PGA Tour announced an expansion of their existing partnership to provide DraftKings market access for retail and mobile sports betting in Arizona.

FanDuel Sportbook and the Phoenix Suns announced on April 15 a multiyear partnership, making FanDuel the Suns’ Official Sportsbook and Daily Fantasy Sports Partner. FanDuel plans to open a retail sportsbook, expected to be completed in time by the 2021-22 NBA season, inside the Phoenix Suns Arena.

The Arizona Diamondbacks and Caesars on May 6 announced a partnership for mobile sports betting and a brick-and-mortar sportsbook on the plaza adjacent to Chase Field in downtown Phoenix.

Law & Compact Are Signed

On April 15, Gov. Doug Ducey signed the legislation legalizing sports betting and daily fantasy sports contests and the newly amended Tribal-State Gaming Compacts.

The Arizona law allows for 20 sports betting licenses. Gaming tribes receive 10 and another 10 could go to Arizona professional sports teams or organizations.

The law requires operators of DFS contests and sports betting to make help available for those who might have a gambling problem. It also allows individuals to exclude themselves from the new forms of legal wagering if necessary.

The law also adds limited Keno games at off-track betting locations and social clubs (American Legion, Elks Club, etc.) The bill does not allow for Arizona online casinos or online poker.

The U.S. Department of Interior on May 24 announced it had approved the amended Arizona Tribal-State Gaming Compacts.