When it comes to gambling in the “Grand Canyon State,” the laws are a little more relaxed than in other states in the US. This does not make the state any different than others when it comes to online gambling, however. While land-based casinos are legal in Native American reservations, online casinos are still not allowed to operate within the state’s boundaries. That said, players can enjoy a convenient and straightforward gambling experience in offshore online casinos.
In this guide to the Arizona online gambling scene, we’re going to delve into the legality of online gambling in this state. We will also discuss the history of gambling in Arizona and what the future holds for the industry here. In addition, we will take a look at some of the land-based establishments available to players.
Top 10 Arizona Online Casinos
1
Bovada
Rating 4.5
Mobile Friendly
Accepts Bitcoin
Live dealers available
Deposit Methods: ACH Direct Deposit, American Express, Bank transfer, Bitcoin, echeck, MasterCard, Matchpay, Visa, Visa Gift Card
The deposit plus bonus amount is subject to a 25x playthrough requirement before the deposit, bonus amount and any winnings can be withdrawn.
Forfeiting this bonus will result in this bonus and any subsequent winnings associated with this bonus to be removed.
Bonus funds cannot be used for play on Live Dealer games.
Craps and Live Dealer play do not count toward meeting rollover requirements for withdrawal.
All games, except Craps and Live Dealer, contribute towards playthrough requirements; however, certain games may have a greater contribution than others.
Deposit Methods: ACH Direct Deposit, American Express, Bank transfer, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Courier Check, echeck, Ethereum, Gift Cards, Litecoin, MasterCard, Matchpay, Tether, User2User Transfer, Visa
Withdrawal Methods: American Express, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Check, Ethereum, Litecoin, Tether, User2User Transfer
The deposit plus Casino bonus amount is subject to a 25X Casino playthrough requirement before the deposit, bonus amount and any winnings can be withdrawn.
• This offer is valid only for first-time depositors at Vegas Casino. • The offer is limited to one player per household and/or computer. • The coupon can only be redeemed once by the player to a maximum of $500 in bonus. • Deposit a minimum $25 to qualify for this bonus. • The deposit and bonus must be wagered fifty (50) times before a cashout is permitted. • Only the following games count towards the wagering requirements of the bonus: some Real Video Slots, some Slots, Keno and Scratch Cards.
Deposit Methods: American Express, Bank transfer, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, BitcoinSV, Courier Check, Ethereum, Litecoin, MasterCard, Matchpay, Player Transfer, Tether, Visa
Bonuses issued at the discretion of the Company are subject to one per individual, household, civic address, e-mail address, deposit instrument, bank account, telephone number, computer/device, and/or IP address.
If you cancel or forfeit the bonus at anytime prior to wagering and rollover requirements being met, all funds generated by the bonus (including the bonus) will be void and be ineligible for reinstatement. Details on the applicable restrictions can be found in the specific terms of the promotion.
Unless otherwise stated, the minimum amount required to activate a deposit bonus is $20.
Bonuses are subject to wagering and rollover requirements and must be met by their specified timeline prior to any approved requested withdrawals.
Players can claim the WILD250 bonus code on their first deposit only.
Players can claim the WILD100 bonus code on their 2nd to 5th deposits only.
A minimum deposit of $20 is required to qualify for WILD250 and WILD100 bonus codes.
The maximum bonus amount per deposit is $1,000.
The correct bonus code needs to be entered to claim the correct match bonus with your deposit. ie WILD250 on your first deposit and WILD100 on subsequent deposits.
This bonus is only valid on select Slots, Table games and Video Poker games.
This bonus is not valid in the Live Dealer Casino.
The deposit plus bonus amount is subject to a 40X rollover requirement before any winnings can be withdrawn.
Not all games contribute towards bonus rollover; please check our bonus contribution page for further details.
If the rollover requirements are not met within 30 days of claiming the bonus, any remaining bonus funds winnings will be forfeited.
Only one bonus can be active at any one time.
The maximum release amount is 5X the bonus amount up to $5,000.
Rollover requirements must be met before any additional bonuses can be granted.
This promotion is non-transferable.
Standard bonus terms and conditions apply.
Wild Casino reserves the right to alter or amend the Terms and Conditions of this promotion at any time without notice.
All free bonuses require a minimum of 60x wagering before any withdrawal can be made. Wagers placed on Blackjack, Video Poker, Craps, American Roulette, Baccarat, and other table or non-slot games will not count toward this wagering requirement unless explicitly stated otherwise. Playing any excluded game before meeting these wagering requirements may result in the casino voiding all winnings and potentially closing the account. Withdrawal requests submitted before completing the wagering requirements will be denied until these requirements are fully met.
Arizona is one of the most “gambling-friendly” US states when it comes to land-based casinos. But things are not so great in the “Grand Canyon State” when it comes to gambling online. Discussions about the legalization of online casinos have been opened up many times, but no plans for such action are in place at the moment.
You can make an account in a legal online casino while you’re in Arizona. Some casinos even offer free games to players from states where online gambling is illegal. This way, you won’t be able to win any money, but you could have a blast if you’re in it for entertainment.
When all this is taken into account, offshore casinos are the best option for Arizona-based online gambling aficionados. There are many options when it comes to online casinos based in other countries, such as Panama, Costa Rica, Dominica, etc. Some of these casinos allow users from the United States to register, although we would still recommend using a VPN to protect your privacy.
History of Gambling in Arizona
The journey this state went through to get where it is today has been quite unique.
The Indian Regulatory Gaming Act of 1988 was instrumental in creating the Arizona casino scene. This is nothing out of the ordinary since most non-Las Vegas or Atlantic City casinos started this way, too.
If you’re not familiar with US gambling regulatory history, here’s what you need to know — this act essentially allowed Native American tribes to open and run casinos on reservation territories.
However, in order to obtain the license to operate, tribes had to negotiate agreements with state governments. Unfortunately, many tribes decided to open casinos on their reservations without negotiating with the state in the early ‘90s.
The National Indian Gaming Commission issued a statement in May 1992, clarifying that all tribes must have a signed agreement with the state of Arizona in order to operate slot machines legally. Since not all casinos complied, the state’s governor at the time asked the FBI to take action.
Fort McDowell Casino Raid
A huge moment in Arizona’s gambling history happened when the FBI decided to raid the Fort McDowell Casino operated by the Yavapai Indians. This was not a large casino — it had about 300 slot machines. At the time of the raid, several other casinos had their machines seized by the FBI, so the tribe was prepared to defend its property.
Federal agents converged on the casino on May 12, 1992. They began loading the slot machines into trailers to take them away. The tribe then used large vehicles and heavy-duty machinery to block the only entrance, preventing the agents from leaving with their slots.
After a tense few hours, the FBI agents finally agreed to leave without the machines, and the tribe managed to negotiate an agreement with the state a few weeks later. Arizona ended up signing deals with 22 of its tribes, 16 of which are still running at least one casino.
Future of Online Gambling in Arizona
As is the case with most US states, the law is a bit restrictive when it comes to gambling in the state of Arizona. There are, of course, a couple dozen Native American casinos that Arizona residents can drive to that offer excellent service to their customers. The problem is that most of these establishments are a few hours away for most people, as there aren’t any casinos in major urban centers like Tucson or Phoenix.
There’s also the option of taking a long trip to Vegas or flying there for the ultimate gambling experience. But if you’re just looking to play baccarat or poker casually on a weeknight, this is not the most practical proposition.
Thankfully, we live in a digital age and the unstoppable spread of the internet over the past couple of decades has led to a massive number of online casinos on the web.
These websites host a wide variety of casino games, offering traditional gambling experiences, as well as innovative twists. It is no surprise that online casinos are becoming increasingly popular among gamblers, thanks mainly to the sheer variety of games on offer.
Another reason for the popularity of online casinos is the fact that they usually offer much better deals than brick-and-mortar casinos. If you think about it, this shouldn’t come as a surprise. Land-based casinos generally have much higher costs of operation, having to spend more on staff and infrastructure. Since most of these costs do not exist for online casinos, they can afford to offer special deals and bonuses to their patrons.
Online casinos can also afford to spend more of their revenue on developing their sites and games, improving the overall user experience. Being able to hop from one casino to the other with just a few clicks allows users to always get the best deals.
The best promotional deals offer users free spins or a chance to get extra money once they make a deposit. Many reputable online establishments operate in Arizona, and there is stiff competition between them, which is always a good thing for the customers.
Gambling is a massive business in the state. Tribal casinos alone make more than $2 billion annually. Add the online market to that and you’ll realize that these numbers are much higher.
In the United States as a whole, online gambling has reached epic proportions in terms of growth. The industry is estimated to grow by more than 8% until 2024 globally, with North America leading the charge.
The future of gambling in Arizona seems to be online, just like in the rest of the world. There’s a lot to look forward to if you’re an Arizonian who enjoys gambling, with new deals and game innovations popping up all the time.
Land-Based Casinos in Arizona
There are 23 land-based facilities operating in the state of Arizona at the moment. All these casinos are located on the territory of Indian reservations. There’s a variety of options in terms of available games, as long as you’re a fan of slot machines and other machine-based games such as video keno and video poker.
We’ve compiled a list of all Arizona land-based casinos below:
Ak-Chin Indian Community
Harrah’s Ak-Chin Hotel and Casino
Cocopah Tribe
Cocopah Casino Resort & Conference Center
Colorado River Indian Tribes
Blue Water Resort & Casino
Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation
We-Ko-Pa Resort & Conference Center
Fort Mojave Indian Tribe
Spirit Mountain Casino
Fort Yuma-Quechan Tribe
Paradise Casino
Gila River Indian Community
Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino
Lone Butte Casino
Vee Quiva Hotel & Casino
Navajo Nation
Twin Arrows Navajo Casino Resort
Pascua Yaqui Tribe
Casino of the Sun
Casino del Sol Resort
Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community
Casino Arizona
Talking Stick Resort
San Carlos Apache Tribe
Apache Gold Casino Resort
Tohono O’odham Nation
Desert Diamond Tucson
Desert Diamond Sahuarita
Desert Diamond Why
Tonto Apache Tribe
Mazatzal Hotel & Casino
White Mountain Apache Tribe
Hon-Dah Resort Casino & Conference Center
Yavapai-Apache Nation
Cliff Castle Casino Hotel
Yavapai Prescott Indian Tribe
Yavapai Casino
Bucky’s Casino
FAQ
The state of Arizona does not regulate online casinos, but players can easily join offshore online casinos without fear of any legal repercussions or prosecution from the government. Residents can gamble in offshore casinos freely, but running online casinos is still illegal in the state.
Online poker is not legal or illegal since the state does not regulate poker sites. That said, residents of Arizona who play poker online for real money will not be prosecuted, which means you can safely register in an offshore poker room or play using a VPN.
Residents need to be at least 18 years old to buy charitable bingo cards, scratch cards, or lottery tickets. If you plan on going to a tribal casino or betting at a pari-mutuel race, you’ll need to turn 21 first. The minimum age for online gamblers who want to try their luck in an offshore online casino is 18.
About the Author
Tum
Administrator/moderator and fixer of things that break on blackjackinfo.com. Tum has contributed to the LCB network for over 10 years working with numerous casino, poker and sports affiliate websites.
For a list of all contributors to Blackjackinfo.com click here