Hard Rock Sportsbook Enters Arizona
The digital arm of Hard Rock International, Hard Rock Digital, has announced that it has secured market access in Arizona thanks to a brand new partnership with the Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise (NNGE). The operator’s Hard Rock Sportsbook mobile app can now launch in the state’s regulated sports betting market as part of the agreement.
Hard Rock Digital has revealed that it has secured market access in Arizona with the help of a brand-new partnership with the Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise (NNGE). ©TheDigitalArtist/Pixabay
NNGE Offers Five Gaming Facilities Across Arizona and New Mexico
The digital branch of Hard Rock International, widely known as Hard Rock Digital, has revealed that it has gained market access in Arizona following the finalizing of a brand new partnership with the Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise (NNGE).
The Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise (NNGE) is a division of the Navajo Nation, which is the largest federally recognized Native American Nation in the United States. It currently runs five gaming and hospitality facilities across Arizona and New Mexico.
As of writing, Hard Rock International also offers online sports betting in the US states of Iowa and New Jersey.
Legendary Worldwide Brand Now Comes to Arizona Sports Bettors
The executive managing director and chief executive of Hard Rock Digital, Marlon Goldstein, expressed the brand’s excitement at delivering sports betting to Arizona on the back of its world-renowned hospitality and entertainment offerings:
“We’re thrilled to partner with the NNGE to provide Arizona sports bettors with a fun and engaging gameday experience through the Hard Rock Sportsbook mobile app. The Hard Rock brand is known worldwide for legendary hospitality and entertainment, and we’re excited to deliver those experiences to Arizonans digitally with unrivaled mobile sports betting.”– Marlon Goldstein, Executive Managing Director and Chief Executive, Hard Rock Digital
Brain Parrish, who is currently the interim chief executive of the Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise (NNGE), made reference to potential unique marketing offerings which Arizona sports bettors will be able to enjoy as part of its partnership with Hard Rock:
“Mobile sports and event wagering is an important new offering that we’re excited to introduce. The Hard Rock Sportsbook mobile sports wagering platform and our brick-and-mortar operations will offer a broad range of wagers, marketing promotions and cross-marketing offers that will be unique to the Navajo and Hard Rock brands.”– Brian Parrish, Interim Chief Executive, Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise (NNGE)
Arizona Brought In $129 Million from Gaming in 2021
In what came as encouraging news for the state, Arizona brought in revenue of $129 million in 2021 through tribal gaming, event wagering and fantasy sports, after it legalized gambling throughout the state in April 2022.
Tribal gaming alone brought in $113.6 million during the year to the Arizona Benefits Fund, including more than $21 million during the last calendar quarter. This came after Governor Doug Ducey signed an agreement between the state and Arizona tribes also in April 2022, thereby allowing tribal casinos to offer Vegas-style table games.
Ted Vogt, who is the director of the Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG), made sure to note that these results had had a positive effect on the state’s overall revenue: “Without a doubt, newly legalized casino games, event wagering and fantasy sports have already increased revenues to the state and will continue to do so for years to come.”
He went onto remark that these results indicated a highly promising start for legalized gaming in The Grand Canyon State:
“Arizona’s event wagering & fantasy sports is off to a strong start here in the state and will only increase as the market matures. We worked diligently with the public and stakeholders to efficiently and responsibly set up these industries in just under five months, and we are starting to see the culmination of this hard work.”
WynnBet Partnered With Arizona Tribe in July 2021
Another prominent operator that partnered with an Arizona tribe was WynnBet, which in July 2021 announced that it had secured a partnership with the San Carlos Apache Tribe in the U.S. state.
The specifics of the deal saw the San Carlos Apache Tribe promise to help WynnBet secure a betting license in order for it to legally operate online sports wagering in the state.
Good news arrived in September 2021, when the Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG) released its final list revealing the allocation of operator licenses, with the San Carlos Apache Tribe in conjunction with WynnBet being one of the lucky winners.
Nine other tribal gaming licenses were awarded by the ADG, which also included the Hualapai Tribe powered by Golden Nugget and the Tonto Apache Tribe in partnership with Churchill Downs Incorporated. The gambling regulator said it prized the role of public and stakeholder comment in its selection process:
“During the rulemaking process for event wagering, the Department made it a priority to gather as much public and stakeholder comment as possible, particularly on aspects such as license allocation. The allocation decision we are announcing today is a direct result of these efforts, helping to ensure the impartiality and fairness of the process for all applicants.”
