Assigned to APPROP AS PASSED BY COW
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fifth Legislature, Second Regular Session
AMENDED
FACT SHEET FOR H.B. 2456
event wagering; temporary sports facility
Purpose
Allows the Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG) to issue or renew an event wagering
operator license to a professional sports team licensee or applicant if professional events are
currently hosted at a temporary sports facility and the primary sports facility is under construction
or maintenance or a new primary sports facility is under construction.
Background
In 2021, the Legislature authorized event wagering according to prescribed regulations
administered by the ADG (Laws 2021, Ch. 234). The ADG may not issue more than: 1) 10 event
wagering operator licenses to applicants other than Indian tribes; and 2) 10 event wagering operator
licenses to Indian tribes in Arizona if the Indian tribe receiving a license has signed the most recent
tribal-state gaming compact and any applicable appendices or amendments.
The ADG must only issue an event wagering operator license, for an applicant other than
an Indian tribe, to: 1) an Arizona professional sports team or franchise; 2) the operator of a sports
facility that hosts an annual tournament on the PGA Tour; 3) the promoter of a national association
for stock car auto racing national touring race conducted in Arizona; or 4) the owner's, operator's
or promoter's designee contracted to operate both retail event wagering at a sports facility or
complex and mobile event wagering throughout Arizona.
A license issued by the ADG authorizes the event wagering operator to offer event
wagering in Arizona through: 1) an event wagering facility within a prescribed radius of a sports
facility depending on proximity to Indian lands; and 2) event wagering through a mobile platform
as specified by the ADG. An event wagering license may not be renewed if it is determined by the
ADG that the event wagering operator has not substantially complied with statutes governing the
operation of event wagering (A.R.S. § 5-1304).
A sports facility includes a facility owned by a commercial, state or local government or
quasi-governmental entity that hosts professional sports events and holds a seating capacity of
more than 10,000 persons at its primary facility (A.R.S. § 5-1301).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.
Provisions
1. Allows the ADG to issue or renew an event wagering operator license to a professional sports
team licensee or applicant if all of the following apply:
a) the licensee's or applicant's professional sports team is currently hosting professional sports
events in a temporary sports facility located in Arizona with a seating capacity of fewer
than 10,000 persons; FACT SHEET – Amended
H.B. 2456
Page 2
b) the professional sports team's primary sports facility requires construction or maintenance
or the professional sports team is in the process of constructing a new primary sports
facility; and
c) the licensee or applicant holds an event wagering operator license on the general effective
date.
2. Makes technical and conforming changes.
3. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Amendments Adopted by Committee
• Adopted the strike-everything amendment.
Amendments Adopted by Committee of the Whole
1. Allows, rather than requires, the ADG to issue or renew an event wagering operator license to
a professional sports team licensee or applicant that hosts sports events at a temporary sports
facility as outlined.
2. Eliminates the specifications that the licensee or applicant qualifies under the temporary sports
facility authorization if the facility does not meet the statutory definition of sports facility but
the licensee or applicant meets all other event wagering requirements.
3. Allows a professional sports team to be in the process of constructing, rather than constructing,
a new primary sports facility to qualify for the license issuance or renewal under the temporary
sports facility authorization.
4. Eliminates the authorization for a licensee licensed under the temporary sports facility
authorization to advertise on and within the premises of the licensee's temporary sports facility.
House Action Senate Action
LARA 1/24/22 DP 6-5-0-0 APPROP 3/29/22 DPA/SE 7-2-1
APPROP 2/9/22 DPA 7-6-0-0
3
rd
Read 2/23/22 34-25-1
Prepared by Senate Research
April 11, 2022
JTT/sr