The Arizona Cardinals on Monday announced a partnership with BetMGM with plans to offer a sports gambling experience inside their home, State Farm Stadium.
BetMGM plans to open its sportsbook by the start of the 2022 NFL season, although it expects to offer its online betting experience to the state of Arizona when sports gambling becomes legal before the start of this NFL season.
The Cardinals are the first team in their league to announce a planned sportsbook inside their stadium.
“This is a tremendous opportunity to build upon our long-standing relationship with Gila River and launch a new one with BetMGM,” Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill said in a release.
“They are best-in-class partners whose excellence and expertise in this emerging space will provide a new and innovative way to engage and interact with our fans.”
The announcement also includes BetMGM’s plans to open three sportsbooks with the Gila River Indian Community, which operates casinos at Wild Horse Pass, Lone Butte and Vee Quiva. Sportsbooks at all three casinos are expected to be ready to open by the start of this coming NFL season.
“Arizona sports fans are extremely passionate and we’re confident they’ll enjoy the BetMGM experience,” BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt said in a release.
“Gila River Hotels & Casinos and the Arizona Cardinals represent the state’s premier casino destinations and sports franchise, making them the ideal partners for us.”
The first game of the season is between the Dallas Cowboys and Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 9.
The move by BetMGM into Arizona comes after the state announced it would legalized sports gambling on April 15. It follows a wave of betting services coming to agreements with pro sports entities in the state.
In April, DraftKings announced that it will partner with the PGA Tour to open a sportsbook at TPC Scottsdale, the home of the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
Soon after, FanDuel announced just after Gov. Doug Ducey’s signing to legalize sports betting that it would open a year-round retail sportsbook at then-Phoenix Suns Arena, which has since rebranded as Footprint Center.
The Arizona Diamondbacks partnered with Caesar’s to open a sportsbook just outside of Chase Field in May.
And in June, the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and Bally’s Corporation announced a 15-year partnership. It was the first gaming access contract with a professional women’s sports team, according to a press release.