Circa Sports has secured regulatory approval to enter the Arizona market by partnering with the San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe. This move marks the Las Vegas-based operator's expansion into its seventh state for online sports betting.
The Arizona Department of Gaming announced this approval on Monday, following a licensing application period that lasted from June 27 to July 10. Circa Sports Arizona LLC was officially designated as the tribe’s operator on July 27.
According to a statement from the regulator, “Effective July 27, 2026, the Department has allocated an event wagering license to Circa Sports Arizona LLC, the designee for the San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe. This allocation allows the operator to provide sports betting and event wagering services in Arizona.”
While a launch date has yet to be revealed, the department plans to collaborate with Circa on the necessary steps to initiate operations in the state.
Currently, the department’s website lists 14 regulated sportsbook operators, with Circa set to become the 15th on that roster.
Arizona legalized sports betting in 2021, allowing for up to 20 sportsbook licenses. Ten of these licenses can be awarded to tribal entities, while the other ten are available to professional sports teams or venues in the state.
Regulators also aim to add at least one more operator through a partnership with a professional sports team, and there is potential for additional operators to be approved via tribal agreements. Over the past two years, several sportsbooks have exited the Arizona market.
Circa will join five other online sportsbooks in Arizona that operate through tribal partnerships, including bet365, Desert Diamond, Fanatics, Hard Rock Bet, and betcris.
In Arizona, FanDuel partners with the Phoenix Suns, while DraftKings has a connection with TPC Scottsdale. Other operators in the state include BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook, Rush Street Interactive’s BetRivers, PENN Entertainment’s theScore Bet, and Bally Bet.
DraftKings and FanDuel are the leading operators in terms of market share in Arizona, as they are in several other states.
Circa is already competing with many of these companies in various states, with its online sportsbook available in Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, and Nevada. The most recent launch occurred in Missouri when the state opened its regulated sports wagering market in December 2025.
In Missouri, Circa received an untethered license, allowing it to operate independently without sharing revenue with a local partner. DraftKings was the only other operator to receive such a license in that state.
Circa has typically focused its expansion efforts on jurisdictions that do not impose high sports betting tax rates or mandatory hold requirements, conditions which are currently favorable in Arizona. Additionally, the state's proximity to Las Vegas means that many Arizona bettors are already acquainted with Circa, known for its high betting limits and low operating margins.
Beyond its online presence, Circa operates physical sportsbooks in Illinois, Kentucky, and Nevada. Its Las Vegas retail sportsbook hosts significant football handicapping competitions, including the Circa Sports Survivor contest, which boasts a guaranteed prize pool of $30 million and reached 5,000 entries on August 1.
Since the introduction of sports betting, Arizona’s regulated market has recorded over $35 billion in wagers.